Our Therapy Dogs
Willie
Willie arrived to us in January 2020, just prior to Covid and the lockdowns. He is called a Covid dog due to the fact he too was on lockdown with humans. This created his love to always be with or very nearby humans giving out lots of love and attention. What do you due during a lockdown with a new puppy but train them. His family went to work, practicing the usual, sit, stay, down and walking on the leash. As things started to open up and everyone move about it gave Willie and his handler an opportunity to practice out in the community and he quickly started moving thru the AKC ranks with a AKC CGC Trainer/Evaluator and tested each step of the way. He was awarded 100 % percentile on AKC Star Puppy through his Intermediate II & Advance Obedience Tests, AKC Urban CGC, AKC Good Citizen and AKC Community Canine, Novice Trick certifications. Due to medical issues within his family, Willie also passed three different multi-tasks serve dog training and tests and holds a full-service ID for such. All of this prior to his first birthday. After his first birthday he qualified and passed the Pet Partners Evaluation and Exam, where he was then certified as a Pet Therapy Team with his handler and able to go to local schools and various community events to spread some love.
Willie is a member of Pet Partners Therapy Program and has volunteered his time at the local schools, K-12th grades, in the Santa Clarita Valley. He enjoys being surrounded and loved on by the kids and handing out his personal trading card for them to keep.
He is also a volunteer at the local hospital, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and is part of their therapy dog program. He enjoys walking throughout the hospital comforting and supporting patients, families and staff. Everyone loves to see Willie cruising the halls, in the patients’ rooms, in the ER and hanging around the nurses/doctors’ stations and the lobby. Both the staff and the patients enjoying collecting his trading card. Willie was featured in the hospital calendar, “Mr. September”, to raise funds for the hospital foundation.
Throughout the year, Willie also attends the Assistance League® of Santa Clarita’s Operation School Bell® events, which helps support student success in school by providing the students in need with clothing and shoes, at our local JCPenney’s. Willie welcomes and comforts the children and family members as they arrive and during their entire experience.
Bodie
Bodie visits Folsom Mercy Hospital, El Dorado Hills library, Lake Forest Elementary school, Vintage Grace Sunday school classes, and Cal Fire Academy. Lots of great results with the special needs kids and anyone else he meets.
Shiloh
“Shiloh and I are typically a package deal every day, and especially from the training she did she’s so well behaved in public and used to going into stores and things with me. I was diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD about 10 years ago, and so when I needed to fly with her I decided to list her as a psychiatric service dog with the airline so she could fly in the seat beside me. It was a form that listed me as her handler, and I listed her trainer, and said that she was a task trained psychiatric service dog, since she does put her paws on me when I get overwhelmed which helps ground me.” – Shiloh’s Owner
Gus
Gus is working towards his therapy certification. He now goes to schools and sits with children during reading.
