Rosie: A PAW-sitively Remarkable Therapy Dog

Bringing comfort and joy to all is what Rosie does. This lovable golden retriever, and her owner, Thelma Poock, can often be seen in a local library or Stafford County school. Rosie just celebrated her eighth birthday in January, and she boasts many years filled with tail wags and bringing an abundance of joy to others with her calming presence. 

Her journey as a therapy dog began with Thelma seeking a companion for their older golden retriever:

“The breeder will sometimes keep a female or two from a litter to show them and then use for birthing future pups,” Thelma explained. “In Rosie’s litter the breeder kept two females, Rosie and her sister, to watch their features and personalities through their first year of development.  The breeder decided to keep Rosie’s sister and reached out to me to see if we’d want Rosie.”

After just one play date to see how their current dog and Rosie got along, they saw Rosie was a perfect fit for their family! Rosie seamlessly integrated into their lives, becoming fast friends with her “new brother,” Thelma’s original golden retriever. 

Rosie’s charming personality showed her obvious warmth, but Thelma noticed something else about her, as she easily passed the Canine Good Citizen Ribbon when she attended obedience classes at a local dog training facility.

“It was easy to see at that time that Rosie had the qualities that make up a good therapy dog,” said Thelma. “From there, I looked into AKC recognized national organizations to see what was needed to qualify as a certified therapy dog team.”

After training and passing a variety of tests, Thelma and Rosie became certified and registered as a therapy team through Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a national non-profit organization. 

“Locally we have joined Blue Gray Therapy Dogs,” Thelma explained, “a volunteer organization that seeks out and offers opportunities for teams to visit.”

Currently, you can find Thelma and Rosie at Rockhill Elementary through the “Paws for Reading” Program or at the Porter Library on the first Saturday of the month. 

“Rosie is full of love,” Thelma explained. “She has a calm personality and loves to be patted and scratched.   She brings so much joy to those she visits. Her presence brings smiles to everyone’s faces!  When someone is sad, or is angry and needs a break, Rosie seems to know and makes herself available for pats and scratches.”

The therapy team also visits two local nursing homes and assisted living facilities and has supported the Stress Free Zones during finals week at Mary Washington University and Germanna Community College. The Blue Gray organization also has teams aside from Thelma and Rosie that visit other places throughout the Stafford and Fredericksburg communities. 

Reflecting on their experiences, Thelma found it challenging to think of a singular favorite memory with Rosie, as each visit brings unique moments of joy and connection that “touches my heart,” Thelma explained. However, Thelma does take special delight in witnessing Rosie’s ability to charm certain people:

“I would say one of the things that does bring me joy is when Rosie meets someone that never had contact with a dog or was not a ‘dog person’ and Rosie just has a way to charm them into loving her! She brings a sense of peace and big smiles to everyone!” Thelma said. 

The impact of Rosie's therapeutic presence has inspired Thelma to encourage more teams to join Blue Gray Therapy Dogs, as the organization consistently receives numerous requests for visits. Thelma believes that the more people witness the positive effects of these canine companions, the greater the demand for their support.

For those interested in learning more about therapy dogs or considering becoming a part of this heartwarming cause, Thelma recommends searching for information on Blue Gray Therapy Dogs, Alliance of Therapy Dogs, or simply Googling "therapy dogs" for more valuable insights and resources. 

In the meantime, Rosie, the golden therapy ambassador, will continue to spread love, joy, and comfort, one visit– and a few belly rubs– at a time.