Tari Hess agreed that a dog's innate personality is important in determining how well suited they are to the work of a therapy dog. Despite the fact that the dog was starved to the point that her stomach was filled with sticks and rocks, her loving personality was intact. Hess said the certification test is offered several times a year at the Wayne County Humane Society. She noted that while no formal training program is in place, she is happy to help anybody who wants to learn more about training their dog to become certified, because the local Canine Therapy Companions chapter has more facilities wanting visits than the group can meet. Watching the residents at Rittman, it's easy to see why the residents and the people who help care for them are so eager to see more therapy dogs make the rounds.
Nobody can get by the dog without some kind of reaction from somebody, and it's usually positive.
Tari Hess nods yes. Hearing the canine commotion coming down the hall, Elsie Colvin sits on the edge of her bed, waiting. Her eyes light up when she spots the dogs entering her room. I love dogs. This makes my day.