Sherrie Rohde

Join us on Monday, July 17th at 12:00pm PST to talk with Sarah about her experiences volunteering with her Klee Kai Therapy Dog Pixel ().

Sarah and Pixel became a registered Pet Partners team in May of 2019 and become a therapy team at UCI Health in Orange County where they visit most patients that allow visitors as well as doctors, nurses, staff and even the emergency room.

Additionally, they have made a number of visits to health fair conventions, school de-stress events and senior living homes. In April of 2023, they signed up to receive their Animal-Assisted Crisis Response credentials to extend their reach.

If you have an excitable pup, you’re not going to want to miss this episode as Sarah knows firsthand about the challenges this brings and will share what’s worked for her and Pixel.

Can’t make it live? Drop your questions in the comments and we will get to them if possible. ⤵️

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Therapy Dog Talk is a weekly series where we talk with pet therapy teams and researchers around the world about the impact they’re making in their area.

Not sure where to get started as a Therapy Dog team? Check out freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

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Join us on Saturday, July 15th at 2:00pm PST to talk with Mary Rose about her experiences volunteering in Central Florida with her miniature therapy horse Honey ().

Mary Rose and Honey began as a team in June 2018 and now visit over 30 hospitals, 6 behavioral health facilities, college campuses, local schools, pediatric facilities, and much more.

I know we usually focus on dogs here but I came across Honey and quickly learned that July 15 is Celebration of the Horse Day with a goal to encourage people to think about the economic, cultural, and historical contributions that horses have made to the United States.

What better way to celebrate than by learning more about the amazing work of Therapy Horses?

Can’t make it live? Drop your questions in the comments and we will get to them if possible. ⤵️

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Therapy Dog Talk is a weekly series where we talk with pet therapy teams and researchers around the world about the impact they’re making in their area.

Not sure where to get started as a Therapy Dog team? Check out freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

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One thing that I’ve learned time and time again in my training journey with Sunny is how much my own mental health matters and how much it impacts her and our work together.

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We spend a lot of time teaching and caring for our dogs. But sometimes, we forget that we need to take care of our minds too. Our mental health matters just as much as our dogs' training.

One of the practices I’ve learned about is called Self-Compassion. This is a way to be kind to ourselves, just like we're kind to our friends. And it's extra important when things get tough.

Self-compassion means being okay with tough times, understanding that feeling bad is sometimes part of the process, taking things step by step, and knowing when it's okay to step back.

But what does self-compassion look like for us Therapy Dog handlers?

1️⃣ During training, it's being happy with little wins, being patient, understanding mistakes happen, taking breaks, and keeping things fun.

2️⃣ During visits, it's being in the moment, being kind to ourselves, setting healthy boundaries, not comparing ourselves to others, and making time for self-care.

3️⃣ At home, it's checking in with how we feel, doing things we love, celebrating small wins, being okay with off days, and asking for help when we need it.

When we take care of our minds, we're not just helping ourselves but our dogs too.

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How do you prioritize your own mental health? ⤵️

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Want to learn more about how to improve your own mental health as a Therapy Dog handler? Enroll in Life Skills for Therapy Dog Teams at sherrierohde.com/course

Enrollment ends July 7, don’t miss out!

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