Nobody Says I Love You Like a Pug Dog

By: Jean Johnson for Body1

Although cards and flowers often cheer someone who needs caring – whether it’s a physical or emotional need – visits from animals can be therapeutic as well. Here’s one story of a “Pet Partner” who’s helped many people in need.

Take Action

Finding a Pet Partner The Delta Society at www.deltasociety.org sponsors all manner of human-animal connections. Information on their Pet Partners Program is included on their Web site. A wide variety of domesticated adult animals can become pet partners. The best pet partners like people and have confidence in visiting strange and new places. Service animals have extensive training and help disabled people with the activities of daily living. Pet partners are distinct and separate from service animals.

Dudley has one of those schmoosed up monkey faces only a mother could love. Also since he clearly gets his share of goodies and has, as my mother says, ‘no nose a’tall,’ he makes those little sniffy-snorts in excitement when he wiggles his fire-hydrant, short-stuff body around.

Mom first met Dudley a year and a half ago after I called Portland's local version of Pet Partners at DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy and Education (DLATTE)and asked if there were any Pug dogs available to come visit my mother. Within two weeks Dudley’s keeper Allison Burleigh called, and the romance was under way.

Since mom’s health deteriorated four years ago, she’s lived 10 minutes from me in a foster care home run by Romanians who have become like family to us. They don’t have any dogs though, and neither do I at the moment. Thus, my search began for a cute stand in with eyes like pools of melted chocolate.

Not that mom would have just any furry creature come to tea. She was an office manager for a vet for many years in Phoenix and hence is quite selective. “I’m what’s known as breed blind. If anything happened to Dudley, I’d only want to meet another Pug – or a Boston Terrier,” she said and then went on to ruminate some. “No, I wouldn’t want to see any Dachshunds or Shih Tzus or anything else. And certainly not a Bassett Hound!”

Bassett Hounds aside – which mom says are way too droopy in body and soul – Dudley has also become like family to mom. Of course, he brings his humans along; Allison Burleigh, and lately Burleigh’s daughter Lauren and her brand new baby Savannah, who has almost stolen the show from Dudley.

Dudley’s Career as a Pet Partner

Burleigh got started in DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy Education program five years ago. After being placed on a waiting list for nine months, she was finally called to start the training and see if Dudley was suited to be out and about in new, unpredictable settings. Mellow-yellow Dudley, of course, passed with flying colors.

Most of Burleigh’s pet partner work has been with youngsters. “At first we worked with groups of boys ages 6 to 10 – about eight boys at a time. They came from backgrounds were they were abused and neglected. It was over at Portland’s Parry Center that years ago was an orphanage for children whose parents died coming across the Oregon Trail,” Burleigh said. “I just took Dudley in, and we’d sit for an hour and let the boys pet him.”

The boys and Allison thought all was well, but Dudley was of another mind. “While I bonded with the boys, it was a little overwhelming for Dudley since the boys could get loud and wild and would grab at him and chase him around. Eventually Dudley became fearful, and when he wouldn’t want to go up the steps, I asked for another assignment.”

Over time Burleigh has realized that Dudley is a credit to his gender and prefers the company of females. These days his main job is with teen girls at the Rosemont School, a residential treatment center.

“Dudley loves to go to Rosemont and bounds out of the car,” said Burleigh. “Rosemont is a lockdown center, and so we sit in a waiting room where he stares at the door like a little man until someone comes to welcome us.”

Burleigh is reflective about her experiences with the girls. “It’s something that’s so simple, yet it’s astounding how much impact it has. You just take your dog and sit with people and let them pet your dog. Even these teen girls who are so tough – they’re tattooed and have shaved heads. Their tongues are pierced, and they’ve broken-and-entered. They’ve done just about everything other than murder someone,” Burleigh said. “But I hear these very same girls tell each other: ‘I got to go to pet therapy.’ And when they’re there with Dudley it’s amazing the transformation that takes place – how quiet and gentle they become when they sit with him. It really opens their hearts up.”

Getting Mom and Dudley Together

Back when I called DoveLewis to see if any Pugs were available, mom wasn’t too sure about having someone she didn’t know come to visit even if they did have a Pug in tow. And to tell the truth, mom did her share of avoiding subsequent visits at first. She said she was busy or she didn’t feel well – all the usual excuses we give when somehow we can’t muster the interest. But Allison Burleigh and Dudley were so gracious. They just kept coming whenever mom was available, and pretty soon mom started telling me about ‘what a handsome man dog’ Dudley is.

“Oh yes,” my mother said. “At first he came up and kind of sniffed me and then ignored me. Then the next time he kissed me once. After that, I got two kisses. These days he just kisses me lots and then goes to the bottom of the bed and curls up and goes to sleep.”

According to Allison, Dudley appreciates mom’s maturity. “Your mother is the only senior I’ve been able to share Dudley with. We’re delighted that you called looking for a Pug, because Dudley’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him. He looks forward to going and wants to get right up on the bed. He has a lot of energy at first when we go in to see her and lately has been giving Kathleen lots of kisses.”

“Lots of kisses.” Somehow that sounds like just what the doctor ordered; doggie kisses and something neither mom nor Allison mentioned; two humans getting acquainted – slowly but surely over the schmoosed up monkey face of a Pug dog.

Last updated: 23-May-06