THE POWER OF PUPS

thePOWER OF PUPS

by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

Phen the world feels overwhelmingly dark, if therapeutic that was,” she said. “I just knew how W we’re lucky, we can turn to our favorite pals to get comforting it could be, and I’ve always loved working us through, our four-legged friends. Without fail, no with other people and helping other people, and this matter what type of day was had, dogs will be there, was just a perfect opportunity for me to use Lemme tail wags and kisses abound; their love is unlimited, as my therapy dog and to get her certified.” and there’s nothing quite so comforting. Needless Stokes and Lemme do three visits each week. For to say, these animals can be particularly comforting Stokes and Lemme, they have found what works best in a year like 2020, which is why the people-and-pup for them, and they stick to hospice and retirement teams at Love on a Leash of Northeast Mississippi centers. (previously referred to as Comfort Creatures) have “I really feel like God put me in the position I’m been hard at work. in today,” she said. “I feel like I’m blessed more than

The organization currently has 14 teams (a team (the people we visit) are. I really do. It’s just a joy to is made up of a human and a dog), who have all gone be able to give back to the community, and give back through proper training and certifications. Each to some of these elderly people that may not have team has to pass the American Kennel Club’s Good that much family contact, we’re like family to them. Canine Citizen training program, and has to be a This has been a pure joy. I wish I could go every day.” registered therapy dog, which requires 10 supervised Stokes also cares for her 93-year-old mother at visits with other registered therapy dog teams. The home. For her, Lemme’s visits to the elderly are organization helps teams earn their certifications. crucial because “I’ve seen (my mother’s) dog comfort

Stacey Stokes and her 10-year-old terrier Lemme her more than you know, I mean I see how it does on have been involved since the spring of 2019. Stokes, a personal level.” the organization’s new president, says to be a good As a part of the organization’s training, Stokes therapy dog, a dog needs to get along with others, has supervised other teams acquiring their therapy follow simple commands and have “an overall good dog team certification. One of those teams was demeanor.” Of course, the dog’s handler needs to be Dave Bundy and his Maltese-Yorkie mix dog, Bueller a good fit too. (named after the movie character, Ferris Bueller

Stokes was a physical therapist for 29 years before from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”). After earning their retiring, and she said she’s seen first-hand the power certification, the Bundy-Bueller team decided to of animal interactions, as she has experience with team up with Stokes and Lemme, so the four often equine-assisted therapy. go on visits together. Bueller is a trick dog who can

“I had previously done hippotherapy or do card tricks, and Lemme can do tricks like walking therapeutic riding using horseback and saw how on her hind legs.

“I can have (Lemme) sit on her back legs like a kangaroo, and then I can have her walk across the floor on her hind legs or hop,” she said. “That just thrills them, no matter how many times they see it, it thrills those men and women.”

Lemme and Bueller are small enough, that during the COVID-19 pandemic,Stokes and Bundy have been able to hold the dogs up to windows for window visits. Stokes said Lemme doesn’t understand the barrier, but she’s still excited to see everyone. Some other teams with the organization are a bit too big for window visits though, like Jim Missett and his 80pound Doberman, Tip. Missett and Tip go to nursing homes too, along with hospitals. The two got involved in Love on a Leash about two-and-a-half years ago. Since then, Missett said he’s convinced Tip knows what people need, sometimes better than the people themselves. Missett saw this one day while he and Tip were on a visit, where a gentleman there said he would not like to see Tip, because he had been bitten by a Doberman when he was young. When they’re on visits, those in the facility can decide whether or not they would like to interact with the therapy dogs, and that wish is respected; but Tip knew he could win this man’s heart.

“Tip was standing there with me, and out of the corner of my eye, I caught him moving sideways towards this gentleman, and with his head turned away so that he wasn’t intimidating or looking aggressive at all,” he said. “Tip moved up to him, and the gentleman sort of reached out and started petting him. I’d like to say that I trained Tip to do that, but I didn’t, that was all on his own.”

This isn’t the only time Missett has witnessed Tip more or less find someone who needed some dog time. Once, Missett was outside of Lowe’s, waiting on his wife to return to the car, and he was standing in the parking lot with Tip. He said countless people walked by, and Tip didn’t pay them any attention.

“Tip all of a sudden, starts out and goes over to this woman who’s walking past, and turns out that she (leaned

Previous page: Stacey Stokes’s dog, Lemme, waits patiently outside of a long-term care facility in Tupelo; This page, clockwise from left: Lemme and Bueller, two Love on a Leash therapy dogs, make weekly visits to the elderly; A resident at a retirement community waves to Bueller through a window, where she sees him weekly. Many long-term care facilities require window visits, instead of in person, due to COVID-19 precautions; During a hospice visit, Stokes aids a resident at in petting Lemme.

This page: A hospice resident enjoys her weekly visit from Love on a Leash. Volunteers always remain nearby, engaging with residents as much as their pets do.

This page, from left: A hospice resident pets Bueller while Lemme sits on her lap. Even the resident’s families have come to know the dogs and volunteers, as this woman’s daugher has; Bueller looks to his owner, David Bundy.

down to him) and said, ‘Oh, how did you know that I needed a fix?’” he said. “So he seems to be somewhat intuitive about it. Maybe I’m putting too much on it, but that’s the way it seems, because he didn’t make an effort to go up to anyone else until she came by.”

Outside of the patients that the teams go visit, the staff at the facilities get just as much from the visits as the patients, and sometimes maybe even more.

“They need a little relief from their day as well,” Missett said.

Stokes said when they visit a hospice center, Lemme and Bueller know their first stop before even seeing any patients.

“They head straight to the kitchen because they know they’re going to get a piece of bacon from the staff,” she laughed. “The staff loves them so much.”

Outside of nursing and hospice centers, other teams visit hospitals, shelters, even schools, where some Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) will listen as children read to them, to help develop their reading and communication skills.

Stokes and Missett both agreed that they get almost just as much out of being part of a therapy dog team as those who get to interact with their dogs.

“I’ve met more friends through doing this because I consider them friends and family,” Stokes said. “They just grow near and dear to our hearts.” M

Above: An assissted living facility resident gazes out her window, where all visits take place. COVID-19 precautions prevent her from visiting with people - or pets - in person. Lemme looks on.

DIY self-care Sunday

LINDSAY PACE by

moisturizing bath bombs

CREATE YOUR KIT

From a cup of morning coffee to a joy-boosting conversation, self-care is an ever-evolving concept. Enjoy our self-care Sunday kit, and make every 2021 weekend a kind one. pink sugar scrub shower bouquet

cuticle oil

strawberry-honey lip scrub

floral bath soak

floral bath soak

ingredients 2 cups powdered milk 1 cup Epsom or Himalayan salt 1/4 cup dried roses 1/4 cup dried lavender Jar with lid

directions • Combine milk and salt • Incorporate flowers • Transfer to jar pink sugar scrub

ingredients 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup fractionated coconut oil, solid 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil Pinch of ground freeze-dried strawberries Jar with lid

directions • Beat sugar and coconut oil together until fluffy • Add Vitamin E oil & dried strawberries • Transfer to jar cuticle oil

ingredients 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil 1 teaspoon jojoba oil 6 drops lavender or rosemary essential oil Small funnel Glass rollerball

directions • Funnel oils into rollerball • Replace cap • Shake strawberry-honey lip scrub ingredients 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 tablespoon fractionated coconut oil, solid 1 teaspoon raw honey 3 drops pure vanilla extract

Pinch of ground freeze-dried strawberries Small jar with lid directions • Mix ingredients until smooth • Store in small container

DIRECTIONS

moisturizing bath bombs

ingredients 1 cup fractionated coconut oil, solid 2 tablespoons Vitamin E oil 1 1/2 cups Epsom salt 3/4 cup baking soda 1 cup dried roses Parchment paper Cookie sheet Cookie scoop directions • With stand mixer, whisk oils on high until whipped and fluffy • Add Epsom salt and baking soda on low speed until combined • With cookie scoop, drop mounds onto parchment-lined cookie sheet • Sprinkle dried roses on top of bath bombs • Chill in freezer for 30 minutes to harden • Store in fridge

shower bouquet

ingredients Bundle of Eucalyptus, lavender or roses Twine

directions • Arrange flowers according to preference • Tie stems together with twine

• Hang on showerhead M