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Graphic artist helps train therapy dog |
| By
Vicki L. Kroll |
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Aug 13, 2007 |
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A friendly face at work can give you something to look forward to every day.
“Every morning she comes in, walks over and says ‘Hi.’ She’s always so happy to be at work and to see you,” said Andrew Smith, traffic manager in the Marketing Office.
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| Joni Bishop works with Belle to make sure she knows how to go up steps slowly. |
He’s talking about his temporary co-worker, Belle. The 20-month-old golden retriever has been in training since January with Joni Bishop, computer graphic design artist in the Marketing Office.
“Being at the University and seeing people with disabilities with a few dogs, I’ve always had the idea about helping train dogs in the back of my mind,” Bishop said. “I had heard about Assistance Dogs of America, and I finally called. I really was curious about it: Would it be fun? Would it be hard? Would I be the right person for it? What does it entail? I wanted to do something for the community while I’m a full-time worker. Since I love dogs, this seemed perfect.”
Located in Swanton, Assistance Dogs of America Inc. trains service dogs that help individuals with mobility disabilities and therapy dogs that provide comfort and companionship at nursing homes, schools and private residences for persons with developmental conditions. The nonprofit organization was established in 1986 and has supplied capable canines to more than 150 people.
Belle was 1 when she went to live with her foster family. Bishop’s job was to continue Belle’s training from puppy level to the final teaching stage.
“She knew basic commands and a few not-so-basic commands like how to pick up something and bring it back, how to open a door for a handicapped person by pressing her nose on the handicap button. They wanted me to reinforce those things and teach her how to go under a table or desk,” Bishop said. “I taught her to walk slow downstairs because whomever she is placed with may need to go slow and hold on to the banister. So she knows to take two steps at a time, stop, wait until I say OK, and then she takes two more steps.”
Bishop was asked to expose Belle to all sorts of situations. She regularly takes her to the grocery store and the mall, and the two flew to Florida so she could experience the airport and a flight. In addition to the daily routine, Bishop and Belle attend monthly training sessions at Assistance Dogs of America.
Kali Makula, a trainer with Assistance Dogs of America, said dogs are evaluated when they are 1 to see if their temperament is better suited to be therapy or service dogs.
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| Joni Bishop commands Belle's attention in the University Communications Office. |
“In certain situations, Belle is not very confident, which is necessary for service dogs,” Makula said. “She tends to be timid around certain things, but she’s very loving, which a therapy dog needs to be. She offers love and companionship.”
“Belle will be a great therapy dog,” Bishop said. “She has a sweet personality. She adores people and loves to please people.”
Bishop will have to say goodbye to Belle in August.
“I don’t know how I’ll handle it, but I’ll handle it,” she said. “I keep telling myself a few things. I went into this knowing that she’s not mine, she’s on loan. And I know that she will be so loved wherever she goes; that makes me feel so good about her future.”
Belle will receive more instruction in Swanton for one month.
“Therapy dogs are here for six weeks of additional training,” Makula said. “We’ll evaluate them to see if placement would be better one-on-one, with a child with autism, for example, or if they’d be better off in a nursing home or school.”
Bishop will know where Belle goes, and she’ll attend her graduation ceremony in November.
“It’ll be nice to know where she is,” she said. “And Assistance Dogs of America does routine checkups to make sure their dogs are thriving.”
“I will miss Belle. But I know she’ll go on to do a lot of good in others’ lives,” said Deanna Woolf, marketing specialist in the Marketing Office. “We talk a lot at UT about the pride we have in the diversity of our campus. Well, I’m proud our office had a four-legged friend for a few months who taught us about interacting with all kinds of people and species.”
“It’s been fun having Belle in the office,” said Amanda Russell, computer graphic design artist in the Marketing Office. “I like knowing our office is contributing — even on a small scale — to the efforts of a beneficial organization like Assistance Dogs of America.”
Bishop plans to stay involved with Assistance Dogs of America.
“The great thing about this organization is there’s no cost to the person or organization that receives the dog. So many places train dogs for $15,000 and if you can’t afford it, well,” Bishop said. “Assistance Dogs of America is able to give the dogs away after they’ve worked with them for two years for an application fee of $25 and a $100 equipment fee. That’s phenomenal.”
She added there are so many ways to volunteer, from caring for a puppy for two weeks to providing a home one weekend a month for a dog.
For more information, go to www.adai.org.
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