When it came time to visit the Veteran’s Best Friend facility in May, I was so well received and impressed by everyone’s helpfulness. Seeing veterans, male and female, walk through the doors with their dogs was such an amazing reality check. The training was actually happening in front of my eyes!
There really wasn’t anything magical about the process, it was very hands on, casual, practical, and a very furry. Lisa would set up different tasks for the owners to walk their dogs through, like sitting on one side of the room while the owner walked to other. (That's just a basic one) The immediate tasks and exercises might have seemed mundane to an observer, but this was a work that strove to be greater than just the sum of its parts. The results would only be seen over a period of time and commitment by director, participants, and dogs
Clearly, the benefit was not only in the training of the dogs for the future, but in the immediate socialization of the veterans with their dogs, other dogs, and of course all the other participants. There was on the spot therapy occurring without anyone even trying. Veterans interacting with each other, supporting each other in this whole endeavor.
No comments:
Post a Comment