Page 35 - Sun Rays May 2013

MAY 2013 SUNRAYS | 35
ONLINE: SCTXCA.ORG
light up.” Teams have been visiting Park
Place several times a month since 2011,
and Nancy said the residents always look
forward to the visits.
Last year, the 30 Sun City Texas therapy
teams racked up 350 therapy hours and
more than 4,500 individual interactions
with people. Even the staff at the facili-
ties benefit from the visits. It may be a
busy day for them, but the dogs always
leave them smiling, said Ruth’s husband
Tom, who is currently President of the
Pet Club, and also provides therapy visits
with his dog, Bella. The success of the
program has brought its own downside,
however. There are more organizations
in Georgetown that would like to have
visits than there are trained teams to
accommodate them. Ruth is anxious to
try to fill that need.
At a recent therapy training session at
the Legacy Hills Pavilion, 11 dogs and
their owners worked on acclimation to
walkers, canes, wheelchairs; practiced
being gentle with petting and hugging
by strangers; and were challenged to
remain focused on their owners’ instruc-
tions while distractions―including oth-
er dogs, squeaking toys, and bouncing
balls―went by them. Among those in the
class were Standard Poodles, a Bulldog,
a Sheep Dog, a Beagle, a Labrador, a
Boxer, and several mixed breeds, in sizes
small to large. Size of the dog is not a
concern, according to Ruth. It’s all about
the training of the dog and the interac-
tion between handler and dog. She said
many dog owners have told her they’re
interested, but are worried their dogs
couldn’t do it. Ruth pooh-poohs this. “It’s
just training,” she said.
Ruth is not willing to compromise on the
quality of the training in order to have
more teams, however. “We’re taking the
Sun City name out there with these dogs,
and we want QUALITY, not problems!”
she said.
Dogs, typically, will have completed
beginner and intermediate obedience
classes (also offered by Ruth) and passed
a “Canine Good Citizen” test before they
are admitted to the therapy dog train-
ing. Therapy training is once a week for
eight weeks, plus an eight-hour workshop
session just for the owners. Training cul-
minates in a test with 12 skills exer-
cises ranging from “accepting a friendly
stranger” to “placed on lap or table,” as
well as 10 aptitude exercises ranging
from “clumsy petting” to “crowded and
petted by several people.”
Ruth sees a need for this work in the
Sun City Texas community. She be-
lieves there are many Sun City Texas
residents, like Ralph, who would benefit
from the therapy teams. Already there
are teams that visit the “Sit and Fit”
exercise sessions at the Fitness Cen-
ter, but Ruth would also like to include
home visits for the sick and elderly, for
residents who can’t get out, or for those
who used to have dogs and can’t have
them any more. “Do you know howmany
people have pictures of a dog on their
night table?” she asks.
Therapy dogs can bring back happy
memories that no one else can. The
problemRuth faces is how to reach these
residents and let them know about the
program. She is more than happy to be
contacted for visit coordination through
email at[email protected]or
by phone at 512-639-1771.
Zuri visits Ralph regularly at his Sun City home. The pet Club’s certified pet
therapy dogs visit Sun City Texas residents, as well as area assisted living facili-
ties and hospitals.