Inspired by his dog Winston, John set out to create his own pet therapy program Moments with Win.
In this 44th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with John Dunay and his 3-year-old Goldendoodle, Winston, about their journey to create their own pet therapy program called Moments with Win. John shares how neighborhood walks with Winston led him to discover the joy that therapy dogs can bring to people and inspired him to enroll in the Pet Assisted Therapy Certificate program at Providence College.
Throughout the episode, John talks about the various experiences and learnings from their certificate program and their internship at the Windwalker Humane Society of Rhode Island. He also shares how he created Moments with Win and the many ways Winston brings happiness to those they meet.
We discuss the potential for John’s new puppy, Finley, to join the program and the importance of patience and perseverance while training therapy dogs. John shares how having a therapy dog has helped him meet new people and the lessons he learned about being mindful of others’ experiences.
Our conversation also touches on John’s goal to get more involved in community events and the responsibility of advocating for our dogs when they need a break. John offers advice for those interested in pet therapy, encouraging them to go for it and share their experiences on social media to inspire others.
After listening to this heartwarming episode, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of the joys and challenges of creating a pet therapy program, as well as valuable insights on how to prepare your four-legged companion for this rewarding work.
In this episode, we discuss …
- How John created his own Therapy Dog program—Moments with Win.
- What it was like to go through the pet assisted therapy certification program at Providence College.
- How Winston is helping to train their new puppy Finley.
Key moments you won’t want to miss:
- [02:02] John shares how walks with puppy Winston led to discovering pet therapy programs.
- [04:15] John’s goal is to spread dog love through community events.
- [05:27] John discusses his experience in the Pet Assisted Therapy Certificate program at Providence College.
- [06:00] John talks about creating Moments with Win as part of his certificate program.
- [06:50] Winston shows some new behaviors when volunteering that didn’t appear in temperament testing.
- [07:34] John shares his experience working with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Elmhurst Rehabilitation in Roger Williams Medical Center.
- [08:17] John connects with local organizations to expand Moments with Win’s mission to spread joy.
- [10:11] We discuss the potential for new puppy Finley to join Moments with Win and train alongside Winston.
- [11:19] John reflects on learning patience during Winston’s training and enjoying the journey.
- [17:02] John encourages those interested in pet therapy to go for it and use social media to share their experiences.
I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a watch or a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!
Mentioned in this episode:
- Pet Assisted Therapy Certificate at Providence College
- Windwalker Humane Coalition for Professional Pet Assisted Therapy
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