Tali - Therapy dog

Tali's family saw the potential in her to help others with her kind gentle temperament and genuine love for people.

Tell me a bit about Tali's personality: 

Tali is a three-year-old frisbee obsessed, people loving, beach crazy border collie who is full of life and energy. Tali is very social and still thinks every visitor to the house, even delivery people, are there to enjoy her company and pat her. A little bit unique, Tali is a wheaten border collie, both her parents are black and white, and she also has heterochromia (one blue eye and one brown). She loves to pose for her Instagram photos and give hi-5’s out to everyone who says hello. Going on holidays and adventures with the family is always Tali’s favourite, she loves exploring and meeting new people.

What type of work does your dog do, and what are their main responsibilities?: 

I am a Registered Nurse and together with Tali, we are an Accredited Animal Assisted Therapy Human-Canine Clinical Team through Therapy Dogs Australia. What does this mean? We have both completed training to support people in healthcare facilities and are required to be re-certified yearly to continue this. Unlike assistance dogs which only support one specific person, therapy dogs are trained to support a wide range of people and YES you can pat them! Tali’s main responsibilities include just being there to support residents and patients. She can help encourage patients to get out of bed, go to activities or attend therapy sessions. But most importantly, Tali is there to bring joy to patients in difficult times and brighten their day.

How did you get started with training your Tali this job?: 

Tali is such a kind-hearted dog with a beautiful temperament, and she just LOVES people. She was our first baby, and we knew that we wanted to have human babies down the line as well so wanted to make sure Tali had something special that was her job. Working as a therapy dog team, Tali and I get time together away to do our special thing. It gives Tali a job and activity that is hers alone and it’s her favourite thing – interacting with people! She gets to do what she loves and doesn’t even know she is working.

What qualities or traits are most important for a dog in this line of work?: 

Not every dog can be a therapy dog, they need to have a kind, gentle temperament and a genuine love for people. Tali doesn’t get treats or toys when she is at work, the love she receives from patients is the reward! Working as a team, it is important to have a strong, loving bond with your dog along with quality training from a young age.

Can you describe a memorable moment or success story involving Tali?: 

As a nurse, I love seeing patients and residents faces light up when they see Tali walk in. Even when they are unwell or having a hard day, Tali can bring a smile to their face.

What equipment or tools does Tali use while working?: 

Tali’s main tools are her smile and cuteness. She wears her therapy dog bandana and harness which leaves plenty of fur free for pats. Sometimes she even wears shoes to protect the patients’ skin.

What are the biggest challenges you and Tali face in this job?: 

The biggest challenge we face in our job is Tali’s bountiful amounts of energy. We have to stay on top of training and exercise to ensure that Tali can stay calm in an array of different circumstances around many different people and equipment that can be scary for a dog.

How do you ensure Tali's well-being and health given the demands of her job?: 

Tali is a very loved member of our family so she is extremely spoilt at home. She has her own wardrobe of jumpers, hats, bandanas, tags, collars and leads along with a plethora of treats to choose from. Tali takes a load off with a game of frisbee every afternoon. During the week, she attends Doggy Daycare and enjoys the occasional puppychino. Tali ends every day with snuggles in bed with mum and dad before she goes to sleep.

What advice would you give to someone interested in training their dog for a similar role?: 

Start training your puppy early with a great trainer and learn all the foundational skills. Take note of your dogs temperament as they grow and if they are well suited to working closely with people or not. Therapy Dogs Australia has a podcast and heaps of information on their website if you want to know more.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your dog, or working dogs in general?: 

Our dog trainer is Mackay K9 - Ell and Sam are incredible. They have worked with Tali since she was 10 weeks old and are accredited to do Therapy dog assessments. Tali goes to daycare at Pamper Paws which she loves so much and the staff are incredible with the dogs. Both of these local companies are great!