The Full Story
Bella
Bella came to us one year ago as a 3 year old rescue dog from Southern Connection Rescue that brings dogs from Norther Manitoba to Ontario homes. She had been surrendered from her initial family after 2 years, and come to us just when we needed her. I had no idea how much her peaceful energy would change our lives. Now I want to share her with others.
Therapy Dogs
Bella is Certified as a Therapy dog through Campanion Paws and has both Visiting and Assisting designation. This allows me to bring her to work and do visits with seniors homes, hospitals, schools and other organizations and individuals in need. Research suggests that interacting with a specially trained therapy dog has many brain and body benefits for a wide range of individualCalms the nervous system. Heart rate and breathing rate slows down. Patients and staff report feeling generally calmer and more relaxed.
Promotes physical and emotional health. Petting an animal can help a person with an arm injury learn to use their arm again. Grooming an animal can help a person living with depression feel a sense of purpose.
Releases feel-good hormones (in the animal and the human). Higher levels of dopamine and oxytocin increase feelings of safety and connection. These hormones are released within just ten to 15 minutes of the interaction. It has also been show that it
improves the patient-provider relationship: Patients and staff who interact with therapy animals report feeling more comfortable sharing information.
It decreases loneliness. Long hospital stays can cause loneliness in some patients. A visit from a therapy dog pair provides joyful anticipation, a change in routine, and genuine companionship between the therapy dog and the patient.
If you wish to book an off site Therapy Dog Visit with Bella please email me to set this up.
Vision
When interacting with Bella, know that she does not jump, lick, or bark, ...her job is to bring a loving calm energy to both the environment and the person. Spending time with animals helps us to focus on the here and now and not the little things that complicate life. She enjoys being pet and will sometimes do a Husky Talk when she would like more. She is happy to shake a paw, take a treat, or simply be hugged. Bella will calmly lie inside the treatment room and and simply be. She is here to do a job and that is to spread love, peace and serenity to everyone she meets.
