Name

Emma

Breed/color

Shetland Sheepdog

Birthdate

June 21, 1998

Height/Weight

16 inches tall / 24 lbs. / Sable and White

Personality

Emma was a very intense, athletic dog who loved to work. She was in incredibly focused agility, flyball and sheepherding dog. Emma was always ready to work with me, no matter what we did or where we went.

Training

Emma had advanced training in obedience, rally obedience, agility, herding, flyball and canine freestyle.

Awards / Titles

Emma was a Master Agility Champion (MACH), a Rally Obedience Champion (ARCHX). She also had her CDX (Obedience), Flyball Master and HSA (Herding Started) titles.

How do you know that your dog enjoys being a therapy dog?

Emma was always ready to work with me. She knew that when I put on her therapy vest she was going to visit hopsitals and schools. She was especially gifted with children and did many READ visits at schools, listening patiently and intently as the children would practice their reading by reading their books to her.

Owner Info:

Becky Jankowski, Downers Grove, IL

Education/Background:

I am a Registered Nurse (RN) with a Master degree in Nursing from the University of Illinois.

 Training Experience:

I have been training dogs for the past 25 years. I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT), a graduate of the San Francisco Academy for Dog Trainers, and a Pet Partner licensede team evaluator and instructor. I am also an AKC and Cynosport Rally Obedience judge. I have taught classes in obedience.

How Did you become involed in Animal-Assisted Thereapy?

I became interested in doging therapy work in 1995 after my father lost a long battle with cancer. I became the coordinator of the Pets for Vets program at Hines VA in 1998. It became the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe in 2000 and I have been the coordinator since its inception.

What did your therapy dog bring to the people she visited?

Therapy dogs bring unconditional love, acceptance and comfort to people in so many different walks of life. Each dog has its own special ability to connect with people who need them the most. Emma loved working with children in the READ programs the most. She gave the children confidence and made reading fun for them. She never judged or corrected - she just accepted them joyously for who they were.