Therapy dogs do incredible work with patients in hospitals. They can help calm people and just bring brightness to their day.
One pup named Winston is doing an amazing job as a therapy dog in a nursing home.
Meet Winston, a 106-pound gentle giant who loves bringing joy to people’s lives!
Winston didn’t have the easiest start to life. When Winston was just a puppy, his first owner unfortunately passed away. Winston was returned to his breeder in Colorado.
The puppy was nervous and confused, but despite everything, he still remained sweet and kind.
Eventually, a man named Clifford Spohr decided to adopt Winston.
Spohr lives in Dallas, where he works as the principal bass emeritus with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
Spohr went to Colorado to get Winston and brought him home with him.
When Spohr saw how calm and gentle Winston was, he decided to get Winston certified as a therapy dog.
Spohr’s first dog, Lulu, was also a therapy dog.
Spohr often brought her to the Cove at C.C. Young nursing home, a home for people suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s. The residents always loved petting her!
Once Winston had gotten his therapy dog certification, Spohr began bringing him to the nursing home. All of the residents loved getting to pet and cuddle with the gigantic pup!
“He’s so docile,” Spohr said. “Boy, he just lets people touch him all over. It’s just really magical, I think.”
The residents always look forward to Winston’s monthly visit.
One resident, Margaret Spearman, told Fox 4 News about how much meeting Winston meant to her.
“I think we were very fortunate to have gotten to see him,” Margaret said. “It was quite exciting.”
Spohr is so glad that he and Winston can bring a little joy to these nursing home residents.
“They’re not in their home anymore, they’re not having regular visits. So I feel like I’m doing something good there.”
Winston loves spending time with the nursing home residents too. The only payment he asks for in return is belly rubs!
“You’re such a good boy Winston,” Spohr told his beloved dog.
Therapy dogs like Winston do an incredible job at helping people who need a little extra love or are going through rough times.
These pups have to go through lots of training to ensure that they’re ready to take the Canine Good Citizen test and interact with patients. Owners can do the training themselves, or they can hire a professional to help them.
Therapy dog trainer Linda Keehn told the American Kennel Club some of her tips for training pups:
“Every time you interact with your dog, your dog is learning something,” confirms Keehn. “Reinforce the behavior you want. Keep your criteria at a level that your dog can handle. Be clear in your communication with non-verbal and verbal cues. You don’t need to touch the dog. They learn to follow their basic instincts to sit and lay down by doing what’s comfortable.”
It’s so sweet to see Winston with these nursing home patients. They clearly love him so much, and he loves them back.
Check out a video about adorable Winston below!
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