Hi my name is Tra and I was with a great foster home in Mansfield, Ohio with my great foster parents & their dog when in May a lady came to see me one nice day on a Saturday, I guess my foster parents didn’t want to tell me because they didn’t want me to get my hopes up too much that this was going to be my forever home.
Well , when the door bell rang my foster parents’ dog and I ran to the front door to see who was here, then this lady came in and at first she seemed very businesslike but she still petted me. Soon I was to find out that she was here to look at me. I heard her say that if I was what she was looking for that I would someday be a therapy dog. I then heard her say that she is a therapy dog trainer and is head of the therapy dog program at a hospital in Columbus, Ohio and if she decided to take me, that is where we would be visiting after I got certified. I really didn’t know what a therapy dog was but guess what she really, really liked me and after spending several hours petting me and asking a lot of questions, I went home with her that day and we had a great time riding to my new home in Columbus, Ohio.
Since May we have been doing a lot of bonding and I have been introduced to several dogs that live in our village and we all play together in a really big baseball field that is totally fenced in with a 8’ fence. Now we have been starting in my mom’s therapy dog class with other dogs in my obedience training and working around medical equipment, wheel chairs, crutches, walkers, canes and all kinds of horns and distortions as well as uneven surfaces. My new mom also takes me to several shopping strips to teach me good obedience manners there too which she said I am excellent at and it will not be long before she and I are certified by the fall of this year.
I love doing this because I have been learning to do my sit stays, down stays & a thing called heeling and come on command, but heeling is not hard for me because we are Velcro dogs and I want to be close to her were ever we go. Yes I just love everyone I meet, adults & children and like I said other dogs. My mom says that I have learned so much for the short time we have been together and she likes to take it slow with me so I am really sure of myself and my surroundings.
My mom says that we will be setting up a booth at major dog events and I can help her educate the public and dog owners about what it is that I will be doing, that thing called therapy dog, and this is just fine with me because that means I will meet more people and dogs and I will also be a representative of my breed. I am proud of myself and always strut my stuff and stick my big chest out mom says.
If you ever come to the Doctors Hospital in Columbus Ohio ask for Tra to visit your room and I will happily be there for you and I will leave you my personal calling card that says, Tra Was Here “Fur” You, and I hope it will bring smiles to you and all you show my card to.
Tra
AKC- PAL Certified- AJ’s Star Tracker

Update  -Tra got His CGC  (Canine Good Citizen)

UPDATE -Tra is now a Registered Therapy Dog with Therapy Dogs Incorporated!

 Way to go Tra and Angie ! Keep up the great work .
 

Angie Jones
Angie’s Basic Obedience
Therapy Dog Class
www.therapydogclass.com