Glory Ridge Home Page Frequently Asked Questions

THERAPY DOGS
Get YOUR dog involved!

We highly recommend our male dogs for therapy.

I wanted to let you know how all three of my Gloryridge boys are doing. All three of my dogs, Winston, Bailey, and Monty are doing therapy work. Monty (Burnie's brother) went to Shriner's Hospital tonight. All of the children came running (or wheeling up) to him at one time. He was so calm about the whole experience! He enjoyed the experience and seemed to think God had provided all those people to love him. He gave lots of kisses when asked to do so by the children.. Winston and Bailey were upset they did not get to go tonight. They waited at the garage door for their opportunity to jump in the car. When it is their night to do therapy, their tails begin to wag with excitement the minute we pull into the hospital parking lot. They then drag me to the elevator in order to go to the second floor. They have truly found their "calling" in life. The person in charge of our therapy group through Therapy Dogs International stated how truly unique and blessed I was to have 3 therapy dogs. She shared how many people wished they could have just one. How blessed am I? My mother, who is ill with a degenerative disease, loves my dogs and carries Bailey around the house in her arms. She has never done this before with any animal! I hope I'll be able to purchase a Gloryridge dog for her one day.

Elizabeth Leonard
NEWS FLASH!!! 3RD Leonard Boy Becomes OFFICIAL THERAPY DOG!

Karen, Oct.2003

I just wanted to let you know that my third Glory Ridge dog has officially passed his therapy dog test for Therapy Dogs International (Monty from Redd Butla and Un D' Nighably Red). I am so excited! Everyone in my group can't believe I have three therapy dogs. The dogs love what they do. They are the smallest dogs in our group and can be easily held by the elderly or placed in the hospital beds of those too weak to hold them.

Bailey (son of Spice and Redd Butla), was the first dog to ever go into individual hospital rooms at Shriners. We usually meet the kids in the play area for visits. Several of the kids that have been at the hospital for a while have become very ill lately. They asked for Bailey. The doctors wanted us to see them. Monty was used to help a severely handicapped child overcome her fear of dogs. Her palsied hands petted him on and off for at least 30 minutes. She then sang "Amazing Grace" to him.

I frequently look at your website and think...hmmm... maybe dog number four is waiting for me to purchase him. Spice's black and white male sure is cute! Well, a girl can dream, right? Take care. I wanted to share my joy with you. God Bless, Elizabeth Leonard, Greenville, SC

                               NOTE FROM KAREN: This letter made me cry. You see, I have a severely handicapped daughter that is still very disabled at age 26. She could not sit up until she was 5 years old because no doctor thought she was "worth" operating on. That was until we went to Shriner's Hospital in St. Louis. I spent many a day sitting for hours seeing children with such severe problems, it made our looks like a picnic. I cried as Joe and I read this letter, with vivid agony of those days. Joy followed as I remember our Christina sitting up by herself after Shriner's got to her! Do you know what it means when a child can sit and play, even if only one arms "works"? Christina had a dreadful fear of dogs, too. Then one day at a friend of mines house, her male
Shih-Tzu found Christina. Her 5 females would have nothing to do with her, But this male would NOT get off her wheelchair tray despite Jean taking him down many times. I told her to let him stay there and maybe it would help Chris get over her fear. He continued to protect Chris all day. He was never trained to do this and
never even licked her face. that is when I realized what good therapy dogs these would make. Here is that day
as Frosty and Christina bonded and a whole new purpose for shih-tzu breeding immerged in my heart...

                            You can write Elizabeth at eleonardmhs@yahoo.com to ask about
                                  THERAPY WORK. You can inquire at PET SMART locally in your
                                    area.

I head up the Therapy Dogs Inc program in Greenville, SC and I wanted to let you know how good it is to see three different dogs from the same breeder with wonder temperaments. Elizabeth Leonard has been doing Therapy work with us for a couple of years and her dogs are wonderful. If you could have seen them with the little girl at Shriners that had been afraid of dogs and by the end of the night she was feeding them. Having breed a few litters of Vizsla's and knowing how hard it can be to get really good homes for them, I wanted to let you know these three boys are in a wonderful home. You are very lucky to have owners like Elizabeth and her husband, who does Therapy work with them also and "Thank You" for breeding these wonderful temperament Shih-Tzu's.

Sherry Anderson
International Plastics
800-431-2247 ext 123

Delta Society: 425-226-7357

Therapy Dog International:
973 252-9800

I have found a BOOK called:
Organization and Management of A K-9
Therapy Group
By Root.
You can order this book by calling
1-800-343-7680
or www.carealotpets.com
Item #003138
in the Winter 2002 catalog
Price is listed as $12.99

In 1998 we experimented with pups as therapy dogs for the sick and Alzheimer patients. This had fabulous results! So, now we offer therapy dogs bred for super calm personalities. I am thrilled as a breeder and nurse to see the benefit of these Shih Tzu’s to the elderly and infirmed! Reports are coming in weekly to the success of therapy dogs, especially in children and elderly. Recovery time in children is less. It is amazing when their pain is diverted by the love of a dog! We highly recommend this breed because they very rarely produce reaction in allergic people. I know J… I can groom many at a time and have no reaction. Give me a shorthaired dog in the car and in fifteen minutes I can't see! My Shih Tzu’s are perfect therapy dogs because they can take rough handling from children and will not bite. These dogs cost no more and are easily trained! I recommend MALES start training at 10 weeks of age. I don't recommend females to do this job. Males are better at it.

Subject:Therapy Shih Tzu
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 10:40:32 -0700
From: Paula Meunier <pgmeunier@sunvalley.net>
To:karen@gloryridge.com

Hi Karen
I thought I would up date you on Neumann's progress. I am enclosing a
couple of pictures. In the one with the little boy Neumann (my dog) was
dressed it a tux with a top hat (it was Halloween) and the little boy was
having a burn scraped. I can't believe how much Neumann picked up on what was going on and how much he helped as you can see by the boys facial expressions. We stayed with him until treatment was finished (a total of about 45 minutes) and Neumann's entire attention was on the little boy the whole time. Normally, he visits a patient, gets a little loving and is ready to move to the next patient. Not this time. In the other pix he was visiting a senior center as santa's helper. He loves doing this and is becoming very well known in our community.
I have also enclosed a photo of our "baby" she's the one I rescued at to weeks of age. She is now in training as a Pet Partner therapy dog also.
What a joy our Shih Tzu are!
Paula
pgmeunier@sunvalley.net

For seven years my father, who was not yet old enough to retire, has been battling colon cancer. Now he was dying. He could no longer eat or even drink water, and an infection had forced him into the hospital. I sensed that he hated being in the hospital, but he hardly complained. That wasn't his way.

One night when he had no luck summoning a nurse, and tried to reach the bathroom on his own, he fell and gashed his head on the nightstand. When I saw his wounded head the next day, I felt my frustration and helpless anger rise. Why isn't there anything I can do? I thought, as I waited for the elevator. As if in answer to my prayers, when the elevator opened, two dogs greeted me. Dogs? In a hospital? Personally, I couldn't think of a better place for dogs, but I was shocked that the city laws and hospital codes allowed it. "How did you get to bring dogs here?" I asked the owner, as I stepped in. "They're therapy dogs. I take them up to the sixth floor once a week, to meet with the patients in rehab."

An idea grew stronger and stronger as I walked out of the hospital and to my car. My dad had bought a Springer spaniel named Boots for my mom for a Christmas present a few years before. My mother had insisted that she wanted a dog, and it had to be a spaniel. My dad had explained this to me when he asked me to go for a ride with him to pick out a puppy. When he picked up a wriggly kissie puppy, I saw the tension ease from my father's face. I realized the genius of my mother's plan immediately. The dog was not for her; it was for him. Brilliantly, she asked for a spaniel so he could have the breed of dog he'd always wanted, and never had, when he was a boy. By then, all of us kids had moved away from home. So Boots also became the perfect child my father never had. She was an eager, loving and obedient pal for him.
Personally, I thought she was a little too obedient. Boots was not allowed on the bed or any other furniture, and she never broke this rule. Sometimes I wanted to tell my dad when he was at home lying on his sickbed, "Call Boots up here! She'll give you love and kisses and touch you like I'm too restrained to do...and you need it." But I didn't. And he didn't. And Boots didn't. Instead, she sat near his bed, watching him protectively, as the months rolled by. She was always there, a loving presence as his strength ebbed away, till he could no longer walk or even sit up without help. Once in a while, he got very sick, and went to the hospital, and she awaited his return anxiously, jumping up expectantly every time a car pulled up to the house. I decided that if I could give my dad nothing else, I was going to give him a few minutes with his beloved dog. So I went back to the hospital and asked a nurse about it. She told me that if I were to bring his dog in, she would not "see anything." I took that as a yes.
Later that day, I came back for another visit, bringing Boots. I told my dad I had a surprise for him in my car. I went to get her, and the strangest thing happened. Boots, the perfect dog, who was as impeccably leash trained as she was obedient, practically flew out of the car, yanked me across that snowy parking lot to the front door and dragged me through the hospital lobby. She somehow knew to stop directly in front of the appropriate elevator (I could never find the right one myself). And even though she had never been anywhere near that hospital before, when the elevator doors opened at the fourth floor, she nearly pulled my arm out of its socket as she ran down the
hall, around two corners, down another hall and into his room. Then, without a moment of hesitation, she jumped straight up onto his bed! Ever so gently, she crawled into my father's open arms, not touching his pain-filled sides or stomach, and laid her face next to his. For the first time, Boots was on my dad's bed, just where she belonged. And for the first time in a long time, I saw my father's broad smile. I knew we were both grateful Boots had broken the rules and finally obeyed her own heart.

By Lori Jo Oswald, Ph.D.
from Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover's Soul
Copyright 1999 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

I just wanted to give a quick hello because I love Shih Tzu’s. I have two (although one lives with my dad). They're both males and their names are Gizmo and Simba. I've never had any other dog but a Shih Tzu and I just love them. I was born with a rare skin disorder in which my skin blisters and sloughs off very easily. I am bandaged up all the time because of large wounds and blisters. Getting a dog was a big decision for my mom since I can get hurt so easily. But it turned out to be so wonderful. Gizmo was the first and he is an extremely smart dog. I trained him to do about 8 tricks. He's very mellow now since he's older (9 years old) but he loves to play. Simba lives with me. He's a little on the goofy side. He only knows one trick, how to shake hands, but he's extremely lovable.

Them not shedding is wonderful. I have a cat and Simba gets along great with her and vice versa. With Gizmo if I say "ow" he'll stop and lick me. Simba on the other hand is a little hyper because he loves to be pet and hug so much. He needs a lot of attention. Anyway sorry to bore you I just love my Shih Tzu’s and am glad to meet others who do too. I eventually want another one as a playmate for Simba he needs one.

Subject: Therapy dogs
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2000 09:28:01 -0600
From: Paula Meunier <pgmeunier@sunvalley.net>
Hi Karen.

You said you wanted to know about any groups out here that are using therapy dogs? I am a member of Pet Partners and my Shih Tzu is my partner. We are in Twin Falls Idaho and visit Magic Valley Regional Medical Center weekly. We visit all floors including ICU, ER, the cancer center, the mental health center, peds, et cetera.

Neumann, my Shih Tzu is perfect for this "job" and looks forward to going every week. He is the only Shih Tzu in the group and I must say everyone at the hospital knows him by name... they haven't a clue what my name is J) I'm just Neumann's mom. Here is a photo of him and the partner he most frequently visits with although he has also visited with an Irish Wolf Hound, an Irish Setter and a Blue Shepard. If I can provide you with any additional information, please let me know.

Feel free to use my email address and the photo if you are going to put it up on your site. Thanks.

This is Thresia and Shousi. Thresia has Muscular Dystrophy.
Shousi was born at Glory Ridge
My dogs have been sold to many people with MS and Fibro neuralgia.
Thersia has since bought a 2nd GR Pup.

Dear Karen,
I just wanted to let you know how Winston and Bailey are doing. We recently received our Canine Good Citizens from the AKC. We completed and passed the exam to be part of a local agency doing "pet therapy." They are extremely well behaved and loving boys. I know they have a lot of love to give elderly adults and terminally ill children. God has opened these doors for us and now we're ready to share His love with others.
The dogs are so good I wish I could have a house full of them. However, my husband might not appreciate that! :)
Take care and God be with you!
Elizabeth Leonard
Greenville, South Carolina

I just spent hours perusing your site and what a joy! I have a Shih Tsu I call Spud. A breeder so generously gave me Spud and he will be 3 next August 22. Besides the joy of this little clown as my best friend/24-hour a day companion, Spud is also my service dog. I had a stroke 4 years ago that left me right-side impaired. Spud picks up anything I drop, retrieves things for me, and yes, even takes clothes out of the dryer for me. I travel in my electric wheelchair daily, rain or shine, with my faithful companion. My vet jokes Spud is "the only Shih Tsu he's ever seen in greyhound racing form." He travels beside me and if he's tired or we go into a store, he rides on my lap.
More and more small dogs are being used as service dogs. I love this breed as he's so intelligent and loving, calm yet so friendly when we talk to groups. I know he thinks schools are places full of kids just for him to go visit. He loves kids, something I think is very unique in small dog breeds. I do have to keep Spud clipped, due to my inability to groom daily we sacrifice that beautiful coat.
The woman who so generously gave this pup to a disabled person can never know how her act of kindness enhanced my life. Notwithstanding all the daily tasks he helps me with, I constantly have a best friend at my side.
I applaud you for recognizing and breeding wonderful dogs.
Carol Bobb
tbobb@telus.net

Reports are coming to me that several of my former pups are in schools for agility training and are beating the "pads" off the other dogs! These pups are coming out the same lines as the Therapy pups. Super smart! Judges can't be political in the ring with a dog who does his thing!

WANTED

If you know of Therapy Dog training in YOUR area, PLEASE write me. I am compiling a list, as this is a growing mission for people to be involved! Thanks!