The selflessness of a kind soul with a little patience and care, gave this dog a new lease on life.

https://www.facebook.com/PawsomeBeautibull/videos/557142137801663/

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Ten years ago, the Galbraith family got a very smart Golden Retriever pup, and they named her Paris. Paris was so special and smart that her family worked with a trainer to turn her into a therapy dog. They thought that they were doing an admirable, unselfish act when they decided to let Paris be assigned to another family who needed her more.

But Brad Galbraith was shocked when he received a call from SPCA Texas after a decade, telling him that Paris was one of 72 animals rescued from an animal hoarder. Watch the video below for the full story.

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Service and therapy dogs have a lot on their plates.  They have humans that depend on them many times a day to do basic things, all while attempting to ignore every impulse they may have to “dog.”  Carla Campbell thinks that dog massage therapy may be key to helping the helpers unwind a bit.

“He’s letting go nicely,” said Carla Campbell as she gently worked the dog’s back and legs.  “He really needed this.”

Carla is at the conference of the American Council of the Blind in Dallas, Texas.  She talking about Merrick, a dog there with his human at the conference, and tensions may be a bit higher with all the other dogs around.  She’s trying to show how a bit of massage therapy can really calm things down for them.

“This is probably the most stressful environment these dogs will ever have in their career,” said Carl Richardson of Boston. Carl is Merrick’s visually impaired human.  “It’s good to give them a little break and let them relax.”

Carla is blind herself.  She lost her sight to glaucoma, and decided to quit her job as a tech support assistant, and pursued a job in canine and equine massage.

“Getting yelled at for a living was never my dream job,” she said.  “And I always thought I’d be working with animals.”

Carla has been perfecting her craft ever since then.  She usually treats about ten dogs a day at a conference like this, but her record is 17.  There are many regulars to the conference that trust Carla and her therapy to help their canine helpers relax.

“All that focus makes you tense up, just like it does humans,” said Carla.  “It helps to have that time out where you can physically relax.”

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A new bill signed into law in Illinois will allow for a canine therapy assistant to be present in the courtroom.  It’s aim is to have the dog be a comfort to victims of crimes that are very traumatic like child abuse or exploitation, or in the event that there’s someone developmentally disabled and needed to be present for proceedings.

Hopefully, people will feel more at ease and a bit more protected.  Being in a courtroom for some is stressful enough.  When someone is put on the witness stand to testify can be even worse.

If victims felt more at ease, some of the difficulties associated with getting a victim to stand up for themselves, and in general make life a bit more bearable for them.  This seems to be a growing trend in many places.  Funeral homes have therapy dogs, and they are even cropping up with young students in classrooms.  Keep a look out, as you state or county may be next to follow suit!

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As part of his therapy, Caleb was introduced to Colonel, a specially trained Golden Retriever. Prior to this, he’d been unresponsive and lacking in energy. Seeing the dog, who was about the size of Caleb himself, perked Caleb right up. There was a noticeable change in his motivation and awareness, and he began to steadily improve.
When Colonel was brought in, Caleb’s attention and alertness were immediately sparked, and his progress improved dramatically.

With the help of a therapist, Caleb works on his motor skills, throwing a ball for Colonel.

Even though he’s young, occupational therapist Lisa Barnes says that kids like Caleb who have suffered these devastating injuries often get depressed and lack motivation to try and regain mobility. Colonel helps with that problem, as Caleb finds plenty of motivation to try and play with the patient, friendly dog. His grandmother agrees. “I noticed that every time he would see Colonel, he was more alert,” she says “There was a little step in his awareness and [Caleb]…would do a little bit more than what he’d already been doing.”
Watch Caleb’s incredible story below.

After a month of intense therapy and with the help of Colonel, Caleb had become much more aware and alert, and his motor skills were vastly improved. He’s also grateful for Colonel’s companionship. “I guess he likes me a lot!” he says with a smile.

Caleb still has a way to go, but his father says that animal therapy continues to be an amazing form of healing for people, especially children.

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Stacey Morrison, the photographer behind this beautiful photo session with Smiley, had this to say about him; “he bumps into things a lot. And as I quickly learned, when he’s running towards you, he doesn’t know when to stop! But otherwise he gets along just fine. In fact, as he’s going about his doggy business — sniffing, listening, frolicking, nuzzling — you forget that he has a disability.”

According to Morrison, Smiley’s owner, a professional dog trainer named Joanne, “says it’s important that he explores his surroundings on his own, using his own instincts, without people hovering over him or cringing every time he bumps into something.“

Now he even works as a licensed therapy dog for mentally ill and disabled patients

“Smiley likes to introduce himself to everyone. How could you not fall in love with this face?”

Some of his patients never smile except for when Smiley visits

“Smiley is completely in tune with Joanne. From the sound of her footsteps to the tone in her voice — her cues let him know if he is safe or if there is an obstacle in his way. ”

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Chris and Mariesa Hughes have eight dogs at home, which can definitely make it hectic. When they do have free time, they spend part of that visiting hospitals with their two therapy pit bulls, Gremlin and Stig.

Often, they visited their Godfather, uncle Bill, who resided at a skilled nursing facility for end of life care.

“I think for him to see any dog, he’s really happy…makes him feel like himself again,” says Mariesa.

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Diamond had been badly abused while she was being used to churn out fighting dogs and likely serve as bait to them. She was put in a shelter, and ended up with the person whom she needed and who needed her the most – the new mom who’s helping her heal from her life of terror. Diamond’s skin is too sensitive to be exposed to sunlight, so her mom makes her protective outfits.

Scars on Diamond’s head and body are from battery acid that was probably used to punish her because she wouldn’t fight. She wound up in Atlanta’s Fulton County Animal Services, whose dedicated staff work tirelessly to find good homes for all their animals. Volunteer Neely Conway posted a bio about her, hoping someone would give this wonderful girl a home.

Diamond loves Sushi…. the cat, that is!

Melinda McGuire was shown that post, and she instantly fell in love. Melinda was going through a rough patch, and had recently had to say goodbye to her 16-year-old dog. When she saw Diamond’s photos and stories she drove to the shelter and vowed to give her a home.

“I was scared, but I forgot about all the joy it brings.” she told Mashable.

Joy, yes, but also unforeseen hurdles. Diamond’s burnt skin was so delicate that she would require extra care when outside. Melinda puts sunblock and moisturizers on her now, but the first day in the sun was a lesson.

“Diamond had been with me about 5 days and was still very, very sick. This was the day that she went outside to lay in the sun, and I realized that wasn’t going to work because her skin was literally becoming too hot to even touch.  The Diva’s very first outfit was actually this ….. a Panama City Beach t-shirt, a bandana….. and a dishtowel.”

Melinda had spare fabric from making her granddaughter a princess dress, so she fashioned a babushka and cape for her.  Diamond wasn’t incredibly please after sitting so long for her first fitting, but she definitely became a fan of her new clothes and the attention they brought.

“If she had not enjoyed wearing her outfits so much, then I think it may have ended that day,” Melinda said.  “But I threw in a pair of the little kid’s sunglasses, and Diamond loved every minute of it.”

Thus, Diamond the Diva Dog.  In addition to protecting her skin from the heat and cold, her floral clothing has also helped protect Melinda and herself from the rude stares of judgmental passersby.

“I had been so worried about people’s perception of her – and I guess of me, as well. I already had one woman ask me why I had done that abuse to her, and I sure didn’t want anyone to assume that Diamond was aggressive on account of her appearance,” Melinda explained. “Instead, people kept coming up to us to ask if they could pat her or if their children could. She became an instant favorite at the vet clinic when she came in with her Sesame Street cape on and sprawled out in the middle of the waiting room.”

When she was first adopted, Diamond had a severe ear infection that required daily treatment for three weeks. Melinda got to be good friends with Dr. Michael Good, who launched the Homeless Pets Foundation, which pulls animals from kill shelters and finds them homes. Now Melinda is using Diamond’s celebrity status for this good cause.

Looking after rescue puppies all day is exhausting!

Here’s the Diva’s fashion show:

Well, not every one can be a winner…

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The “Wednesday Night Running Club” in Boston stopped by First Lutheran Church of Boston to see the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs. Lutheran Church Charities provided pizza for them and many other people from the community.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs spending time with the hospital personnel on during their visit.

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