C.H.A.M.P. Assistance Dogs

CHAMP Therapy Dog Hogan brought lots of smiles to the staff and children at St. John's Mercy Medical Center earlier this month.

Just imagine - you're in the hospital, you're feeling a little down, you're missing your friends, family, and pets back home. The staff are great. They stop by just to see how you're doing, bring you books to read, games to play, and think up lots of fun activities to keep you busy. All good. What could make it even better? They ask if you'd like a visit from one VERY handsome, VERY friendly, VERY special dog!!!

A variety of CHAMP therapy dog teams visit in pediatric and adult areas of the hospital several times a month. We love our visits, and I dare say the kids and adults enjoy them, too!

"Turkey? What turkey?"

"Heath with his ''brothers'' Jake and Hogan, on Thanksgiving morning watching Mom put the turkey in the oven." How very helpful of the boys... :)

"Also, outside playing on Thanksgiving morning...he helped himself to some firewood....and it is heavy....he is such a strong pup....he tantalizes the big boys with it as they try very hard to get it from him...he can turn on a dime and run like crazy..."

Amy Wolff, DVM, is a long-time friend and supporter of C.H.A.M.P., Inc. and our prison training program. She is a member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, American Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Wound Management Society and is an Advisory Board Member of the St. Charles Humane Society. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia.

Dr. Wolff is also the director of the veterinary technology program at Sanford-Brown College in St. Peters. See Page 8 of Volume 18 in our newsletter archive. As such, she was honored earlier this year by the Missouri Association of Private Career Colleges and Schools (MAPCCS) as Technical Instructor of the Year at its annual convention in St. Louis. Nominees for Instructor of the Year award were measured on their involvement in student training, innovativeness, creativity and community service. Congratulations!

And we at CHAMP are very pleased that Dr. Wolff will be writing articles for our new section, Corner for Advanced Medicine. Enjoy her first article, Canine Stem Cell Transplants.

Our service dog-in-training puppies receive much of their training through our partnership program with the Missouri Department of Corrections, at the women's prison in Vandalia, MO. They are "paroled" regularly to caregiver homes for some good ol' R & R and lots of community outings. Service dog-in-training Heath went back to his puppy raiser in early October. She sent the following photos...
Service Dog-in-Training Heath (on the right) with big brothers Hogan (Golden Retriever) and Jake (Yellow Lab)

Trying on a rain coat that ''Mom'' order for Hogan!!!! Thought it would be good on raining TD visits...needless to say, they were way off on sizing. ''Oh, puh-leez! Do I have to wear this?!!''

Heath and Jake trying on Hogan's costumes for T.D. visits. Heath thinking this would be fun, too!!!

"Oh, and guess where he got stuck last night....under the bed!!! Hmmm does that sound familiar?" (yes, sounds just like his mother, Jersey!)

"He has been a delight and my Sunday School kids are very anxious for me to bring him to church. Plus, I would like to take him into the ''Special Needs'' class room.

Had him at Old Navy last week among the other stores. Took him up to a phony dog and he firmly planted his back legs while the rest of him stretched forward to check out the dude. Oh, ok, everything cool. He is comfortable around the construction site of a new store, too, and we can get right up close.

I thought maybe it was going to take a few weeks for everyone to adjust to each other.....not at all....it is working....so far, so good!" - Claire