Cooperative Living June 2018 - 13

Sure enough, the cards highlight each
dog's favorite toy, activity and treat, as
well as their greatest accomplishments.
Both dogs are fans of bananas and
homemade pumpkin treats, by the way.
Lynn Peters frequently takes her
beloved pets to see children with
special needs in area schools, responding
to a group callout from officials for a
therapy dog.
Among the benefits, kids read to the
dogs to improve their literacy skills,
enjoying the opportunity to have a
non-judgmental ear by their side.
" One of the greatest joys of being a
child is being read to, " says Justin
Raymond, principal at Apple Pie Ridge
Elementary School in Frederick County,
where Peters goes for reading nights.
" Those dogs are just so calm and so loving
with the children. It's a really nice
experience for the kids. And for the kids
who don't get that experience at home,
it's a pretty big deal. "
Peters is part of a group that visits
Shenandoah
University in
Winchester for
finals week and
she is also a regular
at two nursing
homes in the
Frederick County
area. At The Village
at Orchard Ridge,
she goes twice a
month to the
assisted-living
memory-care unit
and to see
residents receiving
either short-term rehabilitation or
Tucker encounters a newborn chick. " He wasn't quite sure what to make
of it, " says Lynn Peters, who is primarily in charge of Tucker and Skipper.
long-term care.
" They love the dogs, " says Molly
Edmonston, the facility's connected living
coordinator. " It helps with dementia and
being able to see an emotional response
from residents where other techniques
don't work as well. For short-term rehab,
a lot of them are missing their animals
and that
companionship.
It brings them
a sense of home. "
The facility
introduced pet
therapy to
its residents about
four years ago.
Skipper's and
Tucker's pictures
are in many of the
residents' rooms,
demonstrating that
the dogs have a
lasting impact on
those they meet.
" Residents are
Skipper at The Village at Orchard Ridge.
just in a happier
mood. They see a dog and they just kind
of light up, " Edmonston says.
Patient Approach
Doug and Lynn Peters are originally
from Pittsburgh, but have lived in
Frederick County for 30 years, watching
three children graduate from high school
in Virginia. Doug works at the Rust-Oleum
distribution center in Martinsburg, West
Virginia, while his wife is a former specialeducation
teacher.
Both have had dogs in their families
their entire lives, but handling and training
therapy dogs had been a specific goal of
Lynn's for a number of years.
" I needed dogs with the right
temperament, " she says.
Six years ago, she found one in Tucker,
picking him up from a breeder in Fauquier
County. At that point, Lynn had no
training background, so she enrolled in
puppy classes at Head of the Class Dog
Training in Winchester.
" A good animal-therapy volunteer has
to be able to read the animal and know
when they are stressed out, ready to do
more, or when they need a break. Lynn
Doug (left) and Lynn (right) Peters, originally from Pittsburgh, have lived in Frederick County for 30 years. Their dogs have been the subjects of
various publications (center) and have been featured in Cooperative Living's Say Cheese feature.
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June 2018 | Cooperative Living | 11

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Cooperative Living June 2018

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