Today was Maria’s day at the Mansion to teach her monthly art class, and I went along, bringing Fate to continue her training as a therapy dog.

Once again, she did very well. Fate is very drawn to people, she loves getting close to them, she loves being touched. She is a very different kind of therapy dog than Red, she is more distractible, and gets more excited.

But that can be handled through training. I keep her on a leash, even though I don’t hold the other end, just to give her a sense of being controlled. I hiss and stomp my foot if she starts to climb up on someone, or gets too excited.

Maria was making paper flowers with the residents, and I joined in, asking Fate to lie still under the table. She got up once or twice, but was still for 98 per cent of the time. We have to work on the other two percent.

We made the rounds of the Mansion, knocking on doors, going into the office to meet the aides, sitting quietly as Maria taught her paper flower class. She did very well, I’d give her eight out of a 10. I feel very good about her prospects.

She isn’t going to be Red – he was a 10 from the start – and she shouldn’t be. Fate is a great dog in her own way, full of affection and enthusiasm. The residents loved her, they were more animated with her than they were with Red, he was always soft and quiet in his approach.

She is more curious than Red, more likely to veer off to explore a smell or sound. Red’s focus and calm were extraordinary, but Fate’s affection and personality are as well.

I want to get used to Fate’s style, I won’t pressure her to be like Red, I want her to be herself, loving and enthusiastic and completely trustworthy when it comes to aggression. This could work. But I practice zero tolerance in my therapy dogs, we’ll see how it goes.

Fate is a more tactile dog, she likes to press her head against a knee or stomach or chest, they feel her love, and she feels theirs. We have three months of training ahead for her, several times a week at least, maybe more. I want her to get used to the place, I want the residents to get used to her.

I have to work to show her that the work is people, there are no sheep at the Mansion. Fate loves to work and she loves people, all I have to do is be patient and clear and not screw it up.

I see she puts her head in people’s hands, which I like, and I see she relishes personal contact. In a way, it’s about heart more than anything. Fate has a great big heart.