Dogs are angels on earth. One particular Havanese has a talent for sensing who needed her comfort at the hospital.
Ruth Davidson’s dog trainer mentioned that her Havanese named Sophie would make a good therapy dog. At that time, Ruth had no idea what a therapy dog was. She thought it was really a good idea to cheer people up, so she got Sophie certified as a therapy dog.
Ruth took Sophie to the hospital on her first day as a therapy dog. She knew what to expect since she had been training with Sophie for her certification. Their routine would be to go to each patient’s room for a brief visit. They would be guided by the nurse who was in charge of the dog therapy program.
They met an elderly lady along the hallway and she demanded that someone should bring Sophie to her. Ruth complied and told the lady that the dog’s name was Sophie. The lady began telling Sophie stories about her past dogs and her family. Sophie listened intently as if she understood every word.
The nurse who was caring for the lady was amazed. It turned out that they had been observing the lady for five days and thought that her ability to speak was gone. Being with Sophie made her speak again.
One time, Sophie refused to go to the hospital’s entrance and dragged Ruth to the benches in front of the hospital. She approached a woman sitting on the bench and jumped up beside her. Ruth apologized to the woman for the intrusion.
The woman assured her that Sophie was not a bother. She began talking about her disturbing diagnosis. When her ride arrived, her spirits seemed to lift a little, and she thanked Ruth for Sophie. From then on, Ruth let Sophie take the lead.
Ruth discovered that Sophie’s presence not only comforted the patients but also their family and friends. She brought them a different kind of peace and comfort that made them feel better while dealing with a difficult situation.
Sophie did not have to do anything to do her mission. She only had to be her angelic self.
Photo from Guideposts
