Theodore "Teddy" H. Bode, Center for Hospice Care's (CHC) new therapy dog, will arrive at the Ernestine M. Raclin House later this month. Born on May 17, 2023, Teddy has spent nearly nine months in training. Upon arrival, he will be providing comfort and presence to patients, their families and our staff.
Teddy is trainingd at Ultimate Canine in Westfield, IN, an award-winning company specializing in the development and training of socially and environmentally stable dogs for working in funeral homes, schools, children advocacy centers, court rooms, police departments, fire departments, hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, drug rehabilitation centers, developmental centers for children, dental offices, ophthalmology offices, military and other establishments.
According to Ultimate Canine, "When it comes to facility therapy dogs, there is NO room for mistakes! The dogs must be accustomed to and very comfortable around hundreds of people and children, loud noises, crowds, objects like strollers, umbrellas, bicycles, skateboards, musical instruments, Halloween outfits, etc. They must be receptive to getting bear hugs and endless pets, tolerating even rough petting at times. The dogs must have nurturing, loving temperaments, stable nerves and gentle demeanors."
When Teddy finishes his training later this month, Ultimate Canine will bring him to CHC and provide three days of training and certifications for the handlers. They are taught how to operate the animal, including during visitations, therapy sessions, public outings and events. Each handler must successfully pass verbal and physical performance tests to become certified as a therapy dog handler. Kristiana Donahue, volunteer services manager for CHC, has been chosen as Teddy's primary handler and will take Teddy home at night and on weekends.
Bringing Teddy on as a therapy dog has been an objective of CHC's for some time now. When the Ernestine M. Raclin House was designed, a room was included for a therapy dog. When the new facility opened in 2020, we were already well into the throes of the pandemic, and the decision was made to wait until we were confident we could safely and effectively onboard our new best friend.
We also learned along the way that acquiring a therapy dog is a lengthy – and expensive – undertaking. During the Raclin House dedication event, then-CHC board member Tim Portolese initiated a highly focused fundraising campaign and solicited past and current CHC board members to create a fund to acquire, train and maintain a therapy dog. Hence, Teddy's last name is Bode (Board of Directors Endowed).
We look forward to introducing Teddy to our patients, their families, staff and volunteers at the end of January – what a great way to start 2024!
Bringing Teddy on as Center for Hospice Care's (CHC) resident therapy dog is not the beginning of our dedication to the people/pet connection. Since 2020, CHC has been part of the Pet Peace of Mind program. This important program benefits our patients – and the community – in a number of ways. It allows our patients to enjoy a higher quality of living by helping them keep their pets at home. It gives our volunteer program a new dimension. And it reduces the number of pets entering shelters in our community.
While some patients have a network of family and friends who can help with pet care duties, others aren't so lucky. And sometimes, the pet is overlooked by loved ones who don't understand the bond between the patient and their pet. This can happen during the patient's illness or after the patient dies. All funds raised for the Pet Peace of Mind program help increase the quality of living for our patients and their families – those with two legs, four legs or maybe even eight legs!
