Zinnia is pioneering a new kind of therapy dog, the remote therapy dog.
I can’t go into the Mansion right now (or Bishop Maginn High School either). I haven’t been tested – there is a waiting list for testing around here – and I’m also at high risk of dying from the infection if I get it.
Nobody wants me around.
So we’re experimenting with mobile rather than virtual therapy work (inspired by Bishop Maginn’s remote classroom.)
While I was at the Mansion talking to Nathan, Bert came out to sit on the porch (she loves to smoke out there). (Zinnia has been sprayed with alcohol-based disinfectant whenever we go near the Mansion.)
Zinnia spotted her and rushed over to see her. I was 50 yards away. They had a lovely reunion, Bert was thrilled to see her, then Zinnia came back to me.
A few minutes before, two of the Mansion aides came out to say hello to Zinnia and give her a hug. I don’t really need to be right there, Zinnia knows what to do.
It is a very powerful thing for me to see the impact this sweet creature has on people – the students at Bishop Maginn, the residents at the Mansion.
But one casualty of the coronavirus may be the therapy work I had planned for Zinnia. I have not been able to train her for more than a month now and this is a critical time to train and work with a therapy dog.
I haven’t been able to socialize her with dogs and people to the degree I would like because we don’t see any dogs or people now. And it will be many months before me or Zinnia will be permitted inside of a school, hospital, nursing home or assisted care facility.
We will always find a way to work with the Mansion, and Bishop Maginn High School as well, even before they find a vaccine.
But I’m beginning to re-think how much further Zinnia can go in this work. Not as far as I had planned to go. It could be a long time before we all feel safe enough for people like me and dogs like Zinnia and everyone else.
Zinnia has a gift, and I will find a way to use it. But like so many other things in our lives, it just might be different than I had thought.
I wouldn’t stress to much about her ability to be a therapy dog right now, she needs just to have fun on the farm and be your therapy dog
Due to postponement (cancellation?) of group training classes, my puppy is woefully undersocialized with other dogs, except for an elderly and overweight pit bull/bull dog who lives in the house behind us and, due to a missing board in the fence, manages to rub noses with her. So they smooch through the wire fencing. Sweet but sad at the same time. I suspect a lot of dog owners will be grappling with some arrested development.
Jon, I think you would agree that Zinnia is a natural. She will not forget what she has *learned*, nor will she suddenly change personalities…….. it is in her blood. I feel in my heart she will be ready to take up right where she left off, when that time comes. Patience…… 😉
Susan M