Hi there. This is Archie (on the left in the photo) along with my friend, Albert (on the right)! We love our jobs and feel so blessed to be the Inpatient Therapy Dogs at Hospice of Northwest Ohio. It takes a lot of hard work to be a therapy dog and somedays it’s just plain hard to be perfect! That’s why first, we want to thank all of our co-workers for being patient with us and always helping us to the best puppers we can be; especially when we are begging for lunch and stealing tissues from the trash (we just can’t help ourselves)!
Albert and I first met each other at the Perrysburg Hospice Center. I knew right away that we were going to be best friends. But, among all the fun and running around, there are times when we have to be very serious and get to work.
I remember one day sitting with a family while their loved one was taking her last breaths. I made sure to sit very still with my head on the daughter’s shoulder while she hugged me with tears in her eyes, asking me, “Oh Archie, what am I going to do now without Mom?” I wished I had an answer, but I remained present and steady in her arms.
Albert feels the same way, “Sometimes it is hard for me to keep my front paws on the ground, I like to jump up to be closer to peoples’ faces; it can get me in a little bit of trouble. But, one time it really paid off for me because this very nice lady always insisted I jump up and sit on the bed with her. So I got to sit and snuggle with her for many days; she was happy, I was happy, everyone was happy!”
Being a Hospice Therapy dog is the best job in the whole world! If you are ever visiting one of our Centers, please stop by and meet us. We love to make new friends and especially love to greet our everyday friends and co-workers with a wag – always hoping for a belly rub in return and maybe some bacon.