LOUIE

Troupe Member of the Month

Jeff Schofield and Opie

Jeff has been a dedicated member of the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe since 2021 and a registered Pet Partner team since 2009. His Pet Partner therapy dog is Opie, a 9-year-old Goldendoodle. Jeff and Opie have been faithful visitors at the Oak Park Infant Welfare League where they provide comfort and support to children coming into the after-school health clinics. Opie enjoys “Read With Me” programs at local elementary schools and libraries where he listens intently as children read their books to him. Jeff and Opie also provide stress relief for students at Dominican University and University of Illinois and support to patients and healthcare staff at MacNeal hospital.

Here is what Jeff has to say about his PAWSitive Therapy Troupe experiences:

“I can honestly say that we do not have just one “favorite” place that we go. I have yet to leave a visit where we didn't have a positive impact with either an individual or group of people. Whether it's a visit of only a few or a few hundred, Opie and I as a team always have felt appreciated for what we do.

Over the past 7 1/2 years that Opie and I have been making therapy visits I've estimated we have visited with over 5,000 people. Some of the larger venues like Dominican University, UIC, corporate events or the many elementary or high schools we go to always have large turnouts. I can't say enough about Opie’s willingness to show affection towards people and the affection he gets in return is a wonderful thing to see.

It has happened often where we will be at the park or the pet store or at a pet friendly restaurant where random people will come up to us and want to pet him. They will remember him from a visit we made at their school or with their parents while they were hospitalized. It's this kind of situation that makes animal-assisted therapy such a great experience. I personally get so much satisfaction contributing to such a rewarding cause with the sweetest and most devoted teammate a person could ask for.”

On behalf of all of us in the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe, thank YOU Jeff and Opie for your dedicated service!

About Us

What is the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe?

What Do We Do?

The PAWSitive Therapy Troupe is an Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy program designed to share registered therapy dogs with patients and students in a variety of health care and educational settings.

Animal-Assisted Activities

Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) share registered therapy dogs with patients or students in a variety of activities such as individual bedside visits, entertaining demonstrations or educational sessions. Animal- Assisted Activities are not necessarily goal-directed, but they are nonetheless certainly therapeutic in nature.

Animal-Assisted Therapy

Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is goal-directed intervention in which a therapy dog is an integral part of the clinical treatment process. It is directed by a licensed health care or education professional with specialized expertise and within the scope of his or her profession. AAT is designed to promote improvement in physical, social, emotional and / or cognitive functioning / reading skills. This process is documented in the health care record by the health care professional or in the education plan by the education professional

Name	Louie
Breed	Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)
Birthdate	November 4, 2014
Height/Weight	14 3/4" at the shoulder / 20lb. / Tri-color Black, White and Tan
Personality	Louie is a very happy, playful and energetic guy who loves to play fetch with balls or toys. He is very affectionate and LOVES people and other dogs. He is always eager to meet new friends. Louie is very smart and does well in his obedience training and is up to doing anything we may try together.
Training	Louie started training for obedience and conformation showing as a young puppy. He has also been training to herd sheep, which he loves to do. Louie is currently training thru all levels of obedience from basic beginner to advance Utility work. He will start his obedience show career in early 2016. He is just starting his conformation show career too, which is like a " beauty show" for dogs.
Awards/ Titles	Louie is only a year old so he has not started to show much yet. But, at the early age of 4 months old he received his AKC Canine Good Citizen Title.
How do you know that your dog enjoys being a therapy dog?	I know Louie will make a wonderful Therapy Dog because he LOVES people and he really enjoys making new friends. He is very happy and social, he always go up to new people to greet them and when he sees old friends he is very eager to say hi to them. He has been going to a senior center since he was a young puppy and he really enjoys interacting with everyone there.

Since 1997

Making a Difference

Our Troupe

Our teams of 48 volunteer handlers and 53 registered therapy dogs visit and participate in therapy sessions at locations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.

Learn More

Pet Partners ®

We are a proud to be "A Community of Pet Partners" troupe. Both ends of the leash, human and animal, must meet the highest standards to volunteer with Pet Partners.

Learn More

Read With Me™

Our troupe participates in the Pet Partners Read With Me™ initiative which incorporates therapy animals to support readers of all ages and abilities.

Learn More

In 2023 our troupe logged over 1,500 therapy visit hours.
Won't you help support our mission.

Donate Today

MISSION STATEMENT

The PAWSitive Therapy Troupe is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to sharing registered therapy dogs with individuals in a wide variety of health care and educational settings--bringing comfort, support and encouragement through the unique healing power of the human-animal bond.

Troupe Member of the Month

Jeff Schofield and Opie

About Us

What Do We Do?

Animal-Assisted Activities

Animal-Assisted Therapy

LOUIE

Since 1997

Our Troupe

Pet Partners ®

Read With Me™

In 2023 our troupe logged over 1,500 therapy visit hours.
Won't you help support our mission.

MISSION STATEMENT

CONTACT INFO

For general information

Pet Partners Web Site

To volunteer with us

Online Application

Additional Questions

Email Us

Troupe Member of the Month

Jeff Schofield and Opie

About Us

What Do We Do?

Animal-Assisted Activities

Animal-Assisted Therapy

LOUIE

Since 1997

Our Troupe

Pet Partners ®

Read With Me™

In 2023 our troupe logged over 1,500 therapy visit hours.Won't you help support our mission.

MISSION STATEMENT

CONTACT INFO

For general information

Pet Partners Web Site

To volunteer with us

Online Application

Additional Questions

Email Us

In 2023 our troupe logged over 1,500 therapy visit hours.
Won't you help support our mission.