Volunteer pet therapy team Nicole and Eleanor love to share their bond to help brighten the day for others.
In this 42nd episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with Nicole and her 70lb rescue dog, Eleanor, about their heartwarming journey as a volunteer pet therapy team in Florida. We dive into their experiences working with Pet Partners and the impact they have on those they visit.
Nicole found inspiration in her friend’s therapy dog work and knew Eleanor had a special connection with people. After researching different organizations, they chose Pet Partners because of its training for both humans and dogs, which allowed them to bond even more.
Throughout the episode, we discuss how Nicole helps Eleanor connect with people who might be timid around large dogs, the importance of bringing a brush to break the ice, and the joy Nicole finds in volunteering through Pet Partners. Eleanor’s pearls serve as a popular conversation starter, and we also touch on Nicole’s aspirations for Eleanor to work with kids in the future.
In sharing their story, Nicole and Eleanor provide a deeper understanding of the joys and challenges of volunteering as a therapy dog team. By the end of the episode, you’ll walk away with valuable insights on how to prepare your four-legged companion for this rewarding work and the importance of choosing an organization that aligns with your values.
In this episode, we discuss …
- How Nicole helps Eleanor to connect with people who may be timid around large dogs.
- Why a brush is helpful for them to bring on visits.
- What Nicole loves about volunteering through Pet Partners.
Key moments you won’t want to miss:
- [02:16] Nicole’s friend inspired her with their therapy dog work using a bulldog.
- [02:52] COVID-19 helped Nicole see Eleanor’s potential as she interacted well with her nail tech clients at home.
- [03:54] Nicole discovered Pet Partners and completed their training requirements to become a registered volunteer pet therapy team.
- [04:19] They volunteer weekly at an adult daycare facility run by Neighborly.
- [04:43] Nicole felt very supported by Pet Partners during Eleanor’s training.
- [05:35] Nicole enjoys spending extra time with Eleanor and making a difference for others.
- [06:06] Using a brush helps break the ice between Eleanor and the people they visit.
- [07:11] Eleanor’s pearls are a popular conversation starter during their visits.
- [07:31] Pet Partners allows 2-hour visits, but Nicole believes Eleanor could visit longer because she loves people so much.
- [09:23] Pet Partners helps find local opportunities and lets people seeking pet therapy connect with teams in their area.
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!
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Therapy Dog Talk is a podcast where I interview a different team each week via Instagram Live. If you enjoyed this episode please find us over at Apple, Google, or Spotify and give us a follow after you leave a review.
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