Are Therapy Dogs Angels in Whiskers or Are Angels in Whiskers Therapy Dogs?

Angels In Whiskers is a model example of people in a community seeing a need that they can address and taking action to fill that need. Although many of the dogs involved are pets rescued from dog shelters they are the vehicles now that rescue individuals from loneliness, apathy, disassociation and depression. Young and old alike are benefiting from visits from these whiskered angels of unconditional love and their handlers.

Angles In Whiskers is a grass-roots therapy dog organization that is making it's way through the doors of many facilities in Klamath Falls and making a difference in the lives of people. Angels in Whiskers started with a suggestion from a worker at Plum Ridge Care Center, a local nursing home, to a woman who brought her dog, Shasta, with her when she visited her mother at their site. All the residents looked forward to Shasta's visits and the staff noticed the increased animation and higher spirits of their clients as a result of those visits. That woman took the suggestion to a local woman dog trainer and a new non-profit, community service organization began.

Susan Kincheloe, Shasta's owner, took the suggestion that she get her dog certified as a therapy dog to the operator of Double C, Jo Anne Carson and the idea of Angels In Whiskers was born. Why just get one dog certified? If there were more teams more places could be visited and more people rescued from apathy and boredom. Together these two women did the research for therapy dog training requirements. Jo Ann Carson developed a curriculum to be used to train dogs and their handlers to attain the nationally recognized therapy dog certification. Angels In Whiskers as an organization was developed to facilitate and coordinate activities from the therapy dog training classes to the Angel In Whiskers team visits made to sites throughout town.

The first Therapy Dog Training class, consisting of very few dogs, was certified in March of 2007. By November of 2008 over 30 dog and handler teams had graduated and were available to visit nursing homes, elder care facilities, schools, hospitals, hospice,crisis centers, and the library. More than ten local organizations have requested regular visits from the dogs and their handlers.

Those young at heart seem to universally love dogs and the dogs that wear the blue and gold Angels In Whiskers vests love people. A genuine love of people is the first requirement for both dog and handler. Temperament is the second. All Angels In Whiskers dogs are naturally amiable and eager to interact with people.

Angels In Whiskers Fly Into Action

Nursing homes were the first facilities to participate in having Angels In Whiskers teams come to their sites. Scheduled visiting times were posted and residents that wanted to be with the dogs would let the staff know of their interest. When the Angels In Whiskers teams visited a site the residents were encouraged to pet and love up the dogs in general as they visited with the handlers.

The agenda for visiting the elderly or sick has been modified to accommodate visits to schools, the Women's Crisis Center and the Klamath County Library. At the library children delight in touching, petting and hugging the dogs. Reading times are enriched by the presence of an Angels In Whiskers angel. Children that might never get to experience the joy of laying on the floor with a dog and listening to a story being read to them do so now through the Bedtime Story-time on the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays at 6:30 pm or they can sign up to participate in the "Read to a Canine Angel" program on Saturday mornings at the main branch of Klamath County Library. Conger Elementary School has pioneered the practice of having a Angel In Whiskers team come to classrooms on a weekly basis. The opportunity to sit with, hug or pet an affectionate dog is perhaps the most impacting for the children involved with Womens Crisis Center.

Angels In Whiskers participated in the 2008 Snowflake Parade with a float carrying some of the teams while other handlers with their vested and white winged dogs worked the crowds. Eager hands streached out everywhere to touch the receptive dogs.

More Angels On The Way

Therapy Dog training classes continue to be given at Double C every few months in Klamath Falls, Oregon by Jo Anne Carson. Sue Kincheloe acts as the Angels In Whiskers Team and Facility Co-Coordinator, spearheading arrangements with interested facilities to have visits from the Angel is Whiskers teams. There are always at least two dog and handler teams on a visit and occasionally as many as twelve teams participate. The December visit to Crystal Terrace Retirement Community was one of those occasions. Dogs of every size and many different breeds are Angels In Whiskers making such a large turn out look like something of a dog show.

Angels In Whiskers website contains pictures and a short story of every "angel" certified, as well as contact and training requirements information. Some of the dogs have retired due to a variety of reasons but the ongoing therapy dog training classes promise to keep the roster full. Angels In Whiskers are truly both pets trained as therapy dogs and angels of unconditional love as are their handlers.