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Linda's Dog Blog
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| Meet Hairy - A Little Dog Who Makes A Big Difference |
 admin writes, "(This is the story of Hairy, a very special pomeranian by as told by his very special person, Jennifer Brown.)
"It all started in 2007. I went to Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League to bring home a Boston Terrier. But, my plan didn't go as desired. I happened across a fawn-colored Pomeranian. He came up to me, sat on my toes, leaned on my leg, and looked up at me with his dark chestnut eyes. My heart was captured; Hairy had chosen me.
I soon learned that people were drawn to him. Whenever I brought him into a store, restaurant, or even for a walk, people consistently stopped to pet him. Of course, Hairy loved the attention. I realized that I could use his ability for a positive good.
Because he was so magnetic, I began to look into therapy dog programs. Hairy and I soon became Pet Partners through Delta Society. I researched different visiting sites and found that the West Palm Beach Library coordinated a program called Dog Tales. We began volunteering every Wednesday afternoon in the children's section for "Hangin' with Hairy." During our weekly session, children read to Hairy to enhance their verbal reading skills. The children enjoy having the opportunity to read to a non-judgmental dog, and Hairy loves the opportunity to get attention and belly scratches. Not only does Hairy help the children read, but he also helps children conquer their fear of dogs. Some children who, at one time, were too fearful to get close to a dog are now regular visitors to Dog Tales and love to cuddle with Hairy.
This past year, Hairy was diagnosed with alopecia, a disease that causes hair loss. Hairy does not look like a "normal" dog because his flanks are bald. Now, Hairy has an additional job; he teaches the children at the library that it's what is on the inside that counts. Hairy may look funny from the outside, but, on the inside, he's still a sweet dog who wants to be friends.
In 2007, my dog changed my life. I cannot believe that he is now changing the lives of others and teaching children to love reading, to conquer their fears, and to accept others."
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Do you have a success story or article you would like to share? Please email it to me at mangomaddy@aol.com
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Posted on Jul 24, 2011 23:32pm.
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