Over the past two years of my life, I have been given the opportunity to work with dogs involved in animal assisted therapy. I mainly work with three Collies and a Papillon in a group setting, with mentors along the way to help. Throughout my time spent with these loving dogs, in countless nursing home rooms, I have, and continue to see the large effect such a simple gesture with an animal can have on a person.

Although I have been trained and taught many critical rules when it comes to taking the dogs through the nursing homes, I do believe the dogs themselves instinctively know what to do and what their job is, brightening the day of whoever human they meet. While I take the dogs around to different areas you can see them start to do their magic. Not only will you see smiles when people recognize the friendly dogs prancing down the hall, but you also see the pure joy in some of the people's eyes. The excitement each of the dogs has when greeting person after person still amazes me but I also find it incredible how much of an impact the dog’s presence and actions has on someone. I have had many residents tell me how the dogs make their day so much better and how happy they are to see them again, which reveals the reason why the dogs are brought around and why we believe they make a difference.

While the physical aspect of the dogs being with the elderly person is great, on the other hand it often sparks old memories, which is sometimes just as beneficial. Many of the residents that look forward to seeing the dogs week after week, have their own stories about dogs they owned or knew in their past. As a result of this, when the dogs visit they have an outlet to share these experiences. Over time, I have heard so many stories and I can see the positive impact of these animals, past and present, on their lives just by listening to person talk about them. Not only that, but it made me realize that these dogs aren't just pets but they are also here for emotional support and to enrich the lives of many with the power of not even needing to speak a single word.

Not only have these dogs uplifted so many different residents but I also have noticed the impact they have had on my life and me as well. Similarly, I can't help but feel more cheerful walking out of the nursing home with the dogs than when I walked in. The endless companionship these dogs provide for me while I'm handling them is astonishing. I find that for myself the stress slowly disappears even when I'm with these beautiful animals for a short time. One of the best parts is that they never fail to make me laugh with their silly and very different personalities. Petting their fur and just looking in their eyes you can tell they are truly loving. As well, volunteering with the dogs has introduced me to many new people and experiences I am so grateful for and I can't imagine this chapter of my life without the dogs and the volunteering process.

In the future I hope these dogs and many others involved in this volunteering organization can continue to positively influence and make a difference in people's lives. Aside from the volunteering aspect, dogs are one of the best companions a person can have and I hope many people can see this, as they are one of the gentlest adoring creatures.