The two are Golden Doodles, a mix of golden retriever and poodle.
"They have the personality of golden retrievers but the independence, intelligence and agility of poodles," said George Benoit of Arnold, a semiretired electrical engineer who accompanied Kalli. "Plus, they don't shed."
They've been together since Kalli was 8 weeks old. Benoit and Kalli are one of about 30 Caring Canines teams sponsored by Dogwood Acres in Davidsonville.
The two dogs, specially trained and certified, are part of the hospital's Pet Therapy program.
The hospital has more than 25 volunteer pet therapy teams, each composed of a human volunteer and a pre-trained four-legged companion. In addition to PAWS and Caring Canines, the 25 teams also include members of Pets on Wheels, Fidos for Freedom and Pet Therapy International.
Benoit and Tighe and their pets have strolled hospital hallways together since 2015. They met while having their dogs certified through Pet Partners, a national organization that tests and registers therapy pets and their owners.
To see photos,videos, and the complete article, go to:
http://www.capitalgazette.com/lifestyle/health/ph-ac-cn-heart-2017-therapy-dogs-0203-20170203-story.html
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