Pay It Forward : A Visit To The Nursing Home

When I became a mother, I found out that the best way to teach my daughter how to share, how to think about others and how to give, was to teach her how to Pay It Forward. Paying It Forward is quite an easy concept to understand. It's to do something, not for yourself or to gain something, for somebody else. Paying It Forward can make you feel better about yourself, better than when you offer your child the biggest or more expensive gift. Paying It Forward is what keeps us all down to earth and open to other's problems.

An example of paying it forward, is to rescue a dog in need. Offering dog food to a dog shelter. Giving your time to a non-profit organization. Offering a meal to a homeless person. From experience, I can tell you that it is an extraordinary selfless concept. I did rescue a dog, Bella, and she brings us so much joy and love.

That being said, I wanted to write about something Jake (my chocolate lab) and I did last week end, to Pay It Forward.

We heard that the nursing home near our home was open for people that wanted to visit with their dog. And so we called, to make sure we would be welcomed should we choose to go with Jake, and we went.

The nursing home is the home to people who lost their autonomy and/or people who are in need of medical help because of Alzheimer or other conditions. It is sad to say that many of these elderly people are often "forgotten" by their family. I am not judging here, I am only stating a sad fact. It is also sad to say that many of these elderly people had to give up their animals to be able to be taken care of by the nursing home. Again, I am not judging. My own parents are now the "furry-parents" of a little Yorkshire Terrier that was in need of a new home after her owner had to go live in a nursing home.

As a puppy, Jake liked to eat his bed

Jake is not a therapy dog, at least, not yet. As a puppy, he was too much of a handful to do more in-depth training. Now, at 2, he is more ready. He knows how to sit, lie down, spin (and spin the other way), shake, beg, wait (the hardest of all) and slow down when he eats. He is so calm that people often say that we are VERY lucky to have a young Lab like that. And I quickly agree!

I always wanted for him to become a therapy dog because I know how dogs can help people. I believe in zoo-therapy. When my daughter was 9, she had an accident that required her to stay in a hospital bed for 3 weeks and 10 weeks in a cast, not able to move. The first 3 weeks were hard on her because she was in pain and feeling lonely, miserable and in general sad. I am convinced that a visit from a furry friend would have helped her.

Going to the nursing home with Jake would be the test to see if he had it in him to become a therapy dog.

We got ready to go to the nursing home by bringing the poop-bags (a necessity for all dog owners!) and the treats bag. Nothing else, nothing more.

I don't have pictures to show you, Green Dog readers. I honestly forgot about pictures. So many people wanted to say hello to Jake and pet him.

We visited three units at the nursing home. We first introduced ourselves to the nurses, went to the recreation room and then walk up and down the alley, talking loud to Jake to attract the attention of people still in their room. Some came out to see who was talking and came to us, others called us in because they were in bed. The nurses even went to get other patients from other units to see Jake!

And in all this chaos, Jake stayed himself. He only got excited twice : the first time he saw tennis balls on the feet on a walker and when a cute old lady started calling him "doggie, doggie doggie doggie!". Jake got so excited that he went to her and licked her face! The sound of her laughing in delight was extremely touching and rewarding, not only to me, but to Jake I am sure.

Jake also did a touching thing. There was a couple that shared a room and the woman was excited to see Jake. She woke up her husband that was obviously not mobile at all. He was in his bed and Jake tried to jump on the bed, at his feet. Jake must have sense that he was needed. I didn't let Jake jump, of course, but oh, did I wanted to!

It's when we left the nursing home, almost two hours later, that I realized that never once Jake got scared of walkers, wheel-chairs, stretchers or to go in the elevator. He also was not scared of all the hands that touched him that day. I think it's a good sign that he can become a therapy dog.

I now know what I have to work on with Jake. More basics commands, like say Hello and such, that will make him a better dog. The fact that he is a Labrador will make things easier because Jake WANTS to please me (and he also want to get that treat if he does well).

I will Pay It Forward again to the nursing home. The feeling of having accomplished something is great and beautiful.

Green Dog readers, Pay It Forward and let us know !

To learn more about therapy dog, visit the Therapy Dogs International, here.