Hello DWAA Blog readers and writers! Here at the National Dog Show we are excited to be curating a new section to the Talkfest Blog at Dogwriters.org. We invite everyone to contribute and look forward to advancing the cause of the therapy dog movement around the world. Please send your content to Steve Griffith at sgriffith@viziongroup.net and to vizionpr2@viziongroup.net
Everybody clap your hands for the National Dog Show Therapy Ambassador Team! The team is celebrating their 20th year as a cohesive unit!
Back in 2005, the great Colored Bull Terrier, Rufus, won the Morris & Essex Kennel Club Dog Show and then took Best in Show at the National Dog Show (NDS) in Philadelphia, one month later. It was an amazing feat. Then, the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and NDS organizers discovered that Rufus was not just a champion show dog, but also a certified therapy dog. Lo and behold, they decided to make Rufus the founding member of the newly-minted National Dog Show Therapy Ambassador Team. Twenty years later, the team has grown to include 27 dogs and 23 handlers, spanning the east coast as well as Washington and Illinois.
This year, the team is introducing four spirited Bullmastiffs named Banner and Karashi, Havoc and Belle. Banner, Karashi and Havoc are the pups of the team's very own Wasabi, who excelled at last year’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the theatrical release of the iconic Philadelphian-centric movie, Rocky.
Last year, the National Dog Show Therapy Dog Ambassador Team delivered an estimated 2,281 hours of visitation, comfort, and smiles to children, the elderly, and other people in need. With the addition of new team members, we expect that number to be crushed next year!
The National Dog Show Therapy Ambassador Team would not be possible without David Frei. The therapy dog world’s most prominent advocate has spent over 35 years promoting the movement. Among other ground-breaking accomplishments, David co-founded the National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium at Rowan University. This year the conference is planning its seventh edition, set for Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at the South Jersey College’s Wellness Center. More to come, including registration information. See you soon!