Princess Tali
Please Note: The dog in the accompanying photograph is the subject of the story, but the child or teenager pictured is probably not the patient in the story.In July of 2005 I resigned from my job of 18 years and, as a gift to myself, bought a 12 week old, 3 pound Shih Tzu female puppy. I was already in the Love on 4 Paws organization with my Yellow Labrador, Jim, and I knew right away that I was going to train my new ‘love’ to be in the program. From the beginning, I was convinced that she would be a fantastic therapy dog because she had a gentle temperament and literally got out of her crate, after a long flight, wagging her tail. My son named her Tali Ho, and off we went into the world! I purchased a cute doggie purse, and I took her everywhere I could, in order to expose her to different noises, people, and situations. She adjusted extremely well, and everyone just loved her. Now, the socialization of Tali was a piece of cake, but, on the other hand, her basic obedience training was an entirely different matter. She wrote the book on being a stubborn Shih Tzu. However, being the alpha dog that I am, with persistence and love she progressed through her training and she passed her testing with the Love on 4 Paws staff and became a Therapy Dog in 2006. We have been a fixture within the Love on 4 Paws organization ever since.
Junior, aka Tali Ho, aptly named by a coworker due to her large dog personality but small dog stature, can’t be missed at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. She’s the cute, shaggy haired dog perched in her bright pink stroller. Kids simply love to see us cruising down the hallways and want to ‘hold the baby’. She just puts instant smiles on the faces of patients, family members, and the nurses in the hospital. To have the opportunity to bring happiness to those who are under extreme stress, is truly a gift.
There were two visits in particular that I will never forget. My first memorable moment happened while visiting Pain Management. I particularly love these visits because they are longer and you can really get to know the patient and his family. Anyhow, Junior and I went into a room and there was a beautiful little girl, around 6 years old, and her Mom. The Mom just lit up when I approached, yet the little girl was uninterested. She had undergone stomach surgery and refused to eat. She needed to prove to the staff that she could keep down food before she could be released to go home. I proceeded to have the Mom hold Junior and rub her belly. Sure enough, Junior became a limp rag, and the daughter took notice and started to smile. Slowly her hand reached over to help rub Tali’s belly. Within a couple of minutes, Tali was in the girl’s lap, almost sleeping, with her belly totally exposed. The little girl had a food tray with some crackers and soup. She needed to eat, and her mother had been pleading with her to do so, but to no avail. I suggested that she give Tali a treat, but first she would have to have a bite of food herself. She fed Tali an apple treat and then proceeded to eat a cracker. This game continued for quite some time, and then, sure enough, the little girl started to eat her soup. I was able to stay until she had completed her entire meal. The doctors were very impressed, and they released her that day. The mother was truly grateful to us, but it was all Tali.
The other visit that touched my heart was a recent visit to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. A beautiful and intelligent teenage girl with the face of an angel was on her back with multiple medical issues, unable to lift her head. She did see us come in and while her body was completely immobile, her smile said it all. I completed my necessary preparations and gently put Tali next to her. To see that these Therapy dogs understand the pain a person is in is truly a magical experience. Tali sniffed the girl a couple of times, looked her in the eye, and then curled up, ever so delicately against her neck. The patient was so touched! She simply stroked Tali and gently spoke to her. They stayed there together for 20 minutes. Sensing the severity of this patient’s injuries, Tali became incredibly placid. She didn’t move; she simply let the love flow through her. This visit brought tears to my eyes, and I think of it to this day. All the visits are truly amazing and fill your soul with the goodness of the moment yet, every now and then, there will be one visit that simply touches your very being and, I feel, truly changes you. This was just that visit. I will never forget that beautiful and courageous girl and the gentle, loving demeanor of my pooch. I love this program, and I am so grateful to be a part of it.
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