Nursing Home Part Two

I was out of town on business for a few days this week and to be perfectly honest the last thing I wanted to do when I got back was take Finn to the nursing home. Our visit this week did not have a promising start as we were sitting in the lobby waiting to start our rounds and a family came through the sliding doors including several small children. One child approached the area where we were sitting and just looked at the dogs. Finn let out a low "woof" that turned into a low growl which I quickly tried to redirect by getting some treats out of my pocket. I must say that I don't think he growls in an aggressive, teeth-baring way but rather as just a way of letting me know that something strange is approaching. It's not like he's never been exposed to children, we've had many children visit the house and after some initial uncertainty he seems to be fine with them. I don't know what the problem is but in certain situations with certain children he seems to be very fearful.

The rest of the visit went very well and it made me much more comfortable to see some of the same faces that we saw last week. Some of the residents are such clear dog lovers and it warms my heart to see how much joy they get out of our visits. The instructor thought Finn seemed very relaxed and she was very complimentary of how well he did. I think my comfort level and handling skills are improving as well.

So, next week is our final exam where we will repeat many of the same test items in the Canine Good Citizen test as well as be tested on a number of temperament items. Thinking about it makes my stomach turn but I'm trying to stay optimistic. If you are interested in learning more about the work that therapy dogs do and the examination components check out the Delta Society at http://www.deltasociety.org