As exciting as it has been there is one aspect of these amazing little animals that absolutely affects me to my core.  That one thing is how these miniature, toy, and teacup poodles are so amazingly well equipped for a position of service as therapy dogs.

More and more Health Care Professionals are really beginning to see what an amazing contribution that dogs in general can make in patient care settings.  However, more specifically, the poodle is so much better positioned for this role because of their extreme intelligence, and a hair coat that does not shed hair or dog dander. 

The native intelligence of the poodle is well documented.  Most any reference source will tell you that a poodle brain has the  capacity to handle a vocabulary of up to 200 words.   Their gregarious and friendly nature allows them to fit into or adjust to a variety of situations, and it is also well known that the unique features of the poodle coat is hypoallergenic for so many people with allergies.

As a breeder I take pride that nearly two dozen of the puppies I raised have gone on to lead a productive life of service as a therapy dog.  If I were challenged to put  my finger on precisely what makes them the way they are I would have to say that they simply have the personality for that role.

That is not to say that every poodle is a potential therapy dog, because that would be a stretch.  I would tell you that my puppies seem to rise to the challenge so readily because of the way they are treated from the moment of birth to the moment they are adopted by their new family.

You see, my puppies are not kept in cages following weaning, they are allowed to integrate into our family where they are treated with love and admiration.  This allows their personalities to be eager for human contact and they easily develop a "radar" if you will that gives them an ability to tap into our emotional state.

Many of the puppies I have raised have gone on to be trained as therapy dogs.  As a side note, my dog "Heartbreak" was never trained to perform as a therapy dog but she was just that in my mother's last days.  I have also received numerous reports from owners of my dogs regarding the special skills many have exhibited.

The PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) very often presents special programming featuring the achievements of therapy dogs and it virtually seems there is no end to what they can do. 

Poodles have been known to identify possible cancer patients, provide early warning and crisis intervention for persons with diabetes, assist with children with learning disabilities, provide comfort to hospice patients and the list goes on and on. 
 

If you visit my "References" page you will discover that a number of those persons have therapy dogs that were once my puppies.  If you have questions regarding the contributions of their dogs, I am sure they would be delighted to share their experiences with you.

If you are seeking a dog to provide some type of therapy for yourself or a family member or friend, your search can stop here!

Contact me so that we could discuss your needs!