I took Zinnia to Bishop Maginn High School in Albany, N.Y. for another training session with student volunteers. My idea is for the people we will be working with to help train the dog and also for me and Zinnia both to get an understanding of what the students we will be helping need?

Who better to ask than the students themselves. Today, Katie, Grace and Theology and Art teacher Sue Silverstein all took turns asking Zinnia to lie down, sit, and stay.

Their progress from two weeks ago was striking. This is wonderful training for Zinnia. She gets to trust other people, listen to other people. I want her to focus on me when this is all over, not a lot of other people.

But this is a training,  socializing and learning exercise, she will only see these students once a week or so. I was struck by her focus, and the way the students all changed their voice, position, and attitude.

Come and see for yourself. This is working beautifully. I ask each student what it is they want from a therapy dog, and they all say the same thing: just show up, it cheers us up!