Good Dogs (and Canine Companions) Bringing Joy to Mountain Shadows Residents |
MSCH-San Diego resident, Nancy, meets Canine Companions, Teri and her dog, Cath. |
“So, in all my lives as a dog, here’s what I’ve learned. Have fun, obviously. Whenever possible, find someone to save, and save them. Lick the ones you love. Don’t get all sad-faced about what happened and scrunchy-faced about what could. Just be here now.” ~Bailey, A Dog’s Purpose |
Resident, Rachel, Kathleen, and her dog, Shea. |
by Sheryl Wilde Good Dogs: Canine Companions, Cath and Shea Every dog happens for a reason.
In the case of Canine Companions therapy dogs, Cath and Shea, the reason is to spread joy and love wherever they go.
And, during recent visits to Mountain Shadows Community Homes-San Diego, their reason for living, their purpose, was fulfilled. |
Resident, Laura, and Cath. |
“I am so happy that we got to share the puppy love and see the smiles of the Mountain Shadows residents,” says Kathleen King, Canine Companions. “Oh my goodness! It was fun to see the residents’ reactions and to all be in that love bubble together.”
Canine Companions for Independence, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing independence for children, adults, and veterans with disabilities through expertly trained service dogs. The organization has placed over 6,000 assistance dogs and operates multiple training centers and field offices across the United States.
In 2021, Canine Companions expanded their services to include therapy dogs. Unlike service dogs, which perform specific tasks for an individual, therapy dogs are personal pets trained to bring comfort and joy to others. According to their website, therapy dogs provide emotional, psychological, and social support to individuals with disabilities. |
Resident, Brian, and Shea. |
“Canine Companions started offering therapy dog services several years ago,” says Teri McCartney. “Dogs that don’t make it in the service program can receive additional training and have the potential to be certified as therapy dogs. That’s where Cath and Shea come in. They didn’t make it in the service dog program and were dropped.”
Canine Companions has its own breeding program. Dogs are bred from Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and crosses of the two breeds. Puppies are first raised by volunteers for 16 to 18 months, learning basic commands and socialization skills.
After this period, the dogs undergo professional training at one of Canine Companions’ centers, where they learn advanced skills such as retrieving items, opening doors, pulling wheelchairs, and alerting to sounds or medical needs. Once training is complete, the dogs enter Team Training with their future handlers to ensure a successful partnership.
“We have about 900 puppies born each year. Only about 50% of them make the grade as service dogs.” |
Resident, Lupita, and Cath. |
Adds Teri, “Cath started her puppy raising training at the brig in Miramar. The prisoners train the dogs. She started training at the prison at about 3 months old, and she would come out about once a month on furlough to volunteer homes. While out on furlough, it was discovered that Cath had what they thought was a fear of children.
“I was asked to work with Cath, to see if this could be corrected. I took her to the library one day. Unbeknownst to me, you don’t have to be quiet in libraries anymore, and there were little girls screaming and lots of noise. Cath pulled me right out of there. She was so afraid! So eventually we discovered that it was high excitement, not children, that made Cath nervous. So now, we’ve been focusing on that.
“At first, there was a concern in taking Cath to visit a bigger group of people, like at Mountain Shadows. We started with a small group of six residents and it went great. We plan to do more visits, maybe once a month.” |
Resident, Sally, Teri, and Cath. |
“Cath is just the smartest little girl I ever did meet,” adds Teri. “She has made over 100 therapy dog visits. She’s certified by the AKC as a therapy dog, advanced. We visit people in hospice. We’ve sat by people’s beds as they are dying, and given support to families afterward. We’ve started visiting Palomar Hospital, to support people who have had strokes, or been in car accidents, people who are in rehab and are recovering.
“When I’m working with Cath, I call her KItKat, like the candy bar, because she’s just as sweet.” |
Kathleen King and her dog, Shea. |
Says Kathleen, “I’ve loved dogs since I was a little girl. They give me so much joy and unconditional love. I wanted to share that with others. As of today, I’ve raised six dogs through Canine Companions. When they started offering therapy services, Teri and I thought we would love to share that puppy love with the residents of Mountain Shadows. Kathleen’s husband, Don, is a longtime Mountain Shadows board member.
“We visited Mountain Shadows Fig house. It was so sweet! The residents were bubbling and bouncing in their wheelchairs. It was so nice to see that connection. The dogs enjoyed being with the residents and the residents enjoyed being with the dogs. “One of the residents, oh my goodness! She was dancing in her wheelchair! She was so excited to see the dogs. Dancing is perfectly wonderful! The dogs came up to her right away and gave her some love, and she returned that love.
“During one visit, there was a resident sitting in a wheelchair, and he was just real excited. I put Shea next to him, and took his hand to pet him. When he petted Shea, he just calmed down. Shea put his head in his lap and looked up at him with those big brown eyes, and they had an immediate connection. Soul to soul. It was just beautiful. Heartwarming. This is what makes the world go round. It gives us purpose.”
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Teri McCartney and her dog, Cath. |
Continues Kathleen, “Shea and Cath are both Labrador Retrievers and they are boyfriend and girlfriend. The two of them have this little puppy kiss face thing that they do. They play together and they love working together.” |
Shea (right) and Cath (left). |
“Working with the dogs, this is my calling in life,” says Teri. “They have taught me that everybody has something to give back to society. When you have animals that are so special, I think it should be celebrated.
“One of the dogs I raised graduated to be the service dog of a young girl in a wheelchair. When she got the dog, she was able to travel around the country. The dog would hold her ticket, put her clothes in the dressers in the hotel. The girl was able to go all around the whole country with that dog. “The girl later fell in love and the couple requested that I come to the wedding. We drove across the country from San Diego to Virginia to be at the wedding. They put us at the family table, because we had raised that dog for her. “That is why I do this. “The relationship with a dog is really overwhelming.” |
Shea relaxing with his favorite toy. |
“My brother, who is not with us anymore, had cerebral palsy,” says Kathleen. “I would take him to the Safari Park, and the Zoo, and push him all over the place. It’s wonderful to be able to have both of these loves come together with Canine Companions. It warms my heart. “Working with the dogs, I have learned they just love everybody, and have such a loving heart. They give love and therapy.
“The love that the dogs give people is special. People just light up. Their whole face lights up. When I see people petting my dog, they start to glow all over. That’s what I hope we give the Mountain Shadows residents. I hope they glow.” |
Cath – oh, those big brown eyes! |
The movie, A Dog’s Purpose, explores the meaning of a dog’s life. Through several reincarnations, the main character, a dog named Bailey, explores life, love, and the enduring impact of human-dog relationships. In the end, Bailey learns a dog’s purpose isn’t about doing something grand, but about bringing unconditional love to all those they meet. “My purpose, my whole life, has been to love. To make people happy.” ~Bailey, modified from A Dog’s Purpose Good dog, Shea. Good dog, Cath. You are fulfilling your life’s purpose by uplifting others. Thank you, Kathleen, Teri, Shea and Cath, for sharing your love and joy with us!
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The Mountain Shadows Foundation – Because We CARE |
Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, the Mountain Shadows CARE program provides recreational and social experiences to residents and participants adding meaning and richness to their lives.
It’s easy for you to help us continue to provide activities like this – activities that improve the quality of our residents’ lives in fulfillment of their dreams. Here are some ways you can help ensure these crucial activities can continue for years to come: -
Make a one-time donation today by clicking on the donate button below.
- Make a monthly or annual contribution.
- Leave a Legacy Gift.
To learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society, to include us in your estate plan, or to let us know if you have already designated Mountain Shadows to receive a legacy gift, please contact Mandy Huiras, Director of Development at: mhuiras@mtnshadows.org, or visit our website by clicking here:
Learn More About the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society Please share this story with your family, friends and co-workers to help grow our Mountain Shadows Family!
To learn more about Mountain Shadows volunteer opportunities, please click below:
Learn about Mountain Shadows Volunteer Opportunities Here |
Mandy Huiras
Mountain Shadows Foundation Director of Development
Contact Mandy today to learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation and how you can continue to make a difference in the lives of our residents:
mhuiras@mtnshadows.org |
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