Friday, November 22, 2019

A Certified Therapy Puppy

In 2018 my fiance and I went on a camping trip. We came home with a lot of mosquito bites and a six week old beagle puppy, AuSable (ah-sah-bow). He was adorable, cuddly, and terribly smart. From the beginning I knew he had a lot to offer the world. Plus, look at that FACE!
I literally raced home from work every day for this

For as long as I can remember I've been a dog person (we have kittens, but cat love can be different). It's always been my dream to do volunteer work with a pup that I share a special bond with. Seeing him cuddle with a person with dementia or wag his tail for an at-risk child has brought me more happiness than I thought possible.

On November 19th we finally earned our AKC therapy dog certification. It took one year, six months of many puppy training classes, visits to stores, and the CGC tests. That test was nerve wracking, but he took it in stride (I was more nervous than he was!). This little fellow can now visit hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. He will be attending school with me sometimes, which my students are looking forward to immensely. I hope they're ready for his sniffing and snuggles.

I have another research post in the works about how awesome beagles are and their significance in the 19th century. Eventually I'd love to have him participate in living history (he's not gun shy), but that may take a bit longer. I imagine he'll be a hit with visitors!

~Kristen

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