Sherrie Rohde

Estella and her volunteer Therapy Poms work through their own traumas while helping others. In this 91st episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I talk with Estella about the heartwarming story of her senior Therapy Poms, Monti and Finn, and their combined…

As therapy dog handlers, we put a lot of effort into training and caring for our dogs. However, my experience with Sunny has taught me that it’s just as important to care for ourselves. This blog post will explore the concept of mental health and…

Remembering Our Lost Companions This year, we’ve said farewell to some extraordinary Therapy Dogs in our community. Each one of them left pawprints on our hearts and we will forever remember the unique and loving impact they had: Judy from Episode 71…

Therapy dogs and their handlers need to stay calm. But staying calm isn’t easy—it takes practice. Kilyn, who spoke on Episode 81 of Therapy Dog Talk, takes her dog Bubbles for a walk before therapy visits. The walk helps Bubbles stay calm. Let’s talk…

Therapy dog teams inspire many with their grace and poise, but these qualities don’t emerge overnight. Building confidence, both as a handler and in your dog, is a process. Let’s walk through why confidence is crucial and practical steps you can take…

For Marcia, avoiding volunteer burnout is essential in order to continue sharing her Therapy Dog Charlie with others. In this 43rd episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with Marcia about her experiences volunteering as an American Kennel Club (AKC)…

San Diego Therapy Dog team Sarah and Cocoa have jumped all paws in to volunteering through Love on a Leash. In this 41st episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with Sarah about experiences volunteering as a Therapy Dog team in Southern California with…

Kristin has big plans for Animal Assisted Occupational Therapy with her rescue dog Winston! In this 26th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I sat down with Kristin to hear about her plans for Animal Assisted Occupational Therapy and her experience as an…

“Wondering how to approach and greet a new dog?” is part two of a four part series in collaboration with Elizabeth Sánchez Arvizu, M.A.’s #ReFrameAndReEnchant initiative on Psychology for Geeks. Disclaimer: While I hope that this information helps…

This article is part one of a four part series for Mental Health Awareness Month in partnership with Elizabeth Sánchez Arvizu, M.A.’s #ReFrameAndReEnchant initiative on Psychology for Geeks. Disclaimer: The following information is based on the…

Ready to hear how a reactive dog let his person know that he didn’t want to be a Therapy Dog? If so, then this is definitely the episode for you. In this 23rd episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I had the privilege of speaking with Jess about her experience…

In this 22nd episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I interviewed Jeena of @unimpressedhusky who shared: How she discovered the role of Therapy Dogs at a @petsastherapy_uk event with @dogfuriendly while living in London for a year. What it has been like to…

In this 21st episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I interviewed Hailey of @darrelthedoge who shared: Why she decided to focus on trick training as a precursor to Therapy Dog training. How she tries to make each piece of their day intentional for their focus…

Welcome to the twentieth episode of Therapy Dog Talk: a weekly interview of Therapy Dog teams. How she became interested in Therapy Dog work before she had her own dog by hearing friends talk about a reading program. Why she thought Buffy would enjoy…

Welcome to the nineteenth episode of Therapy Dog Talk: a weekly interview of Therapy Dog teams. In this episode we interviewed Elise of @shewhowalkswithgoats who shared: How she went from cat person to therapy dog team with Moosh and, recently,…

Welcome to the eighteenth episode of Therapy Dog Talk: a weekly interview of Therapy Dog teams. In this episode we interviewed Thea of @bentleyontheblock who shared: How she discovered the role of Therapy Dogs (spoiler: it was by meeting a doberman…

Welcome to the seventeenth episode of Therapy Dog Talk: a weekly interview of Therapy Dog teams. In this episode we interviewed Casie of @pawsitivepointers who shared: What it’s been like to train two German Shorthaired Pointers (GSPs) for therapy…

Welcome to the sixteenth episode of Therapy Dog Talk: a weekly interview of Therapy Dog teams. In this episode we interviewed Lori of @tiny_legs_luna and @low_rider_comet who shared: Why her dogs are in two different pet therapy organizations. How…

Welcome to the thirteenth episode of Therapy Dog Talk: a weekly interview of Therapy Dog teams. In this episode we interviewed Chris of @colethedeafdog who shared: How adopting Cole led him to learn about Therapy Dogs. Why having a deaf dog can help…

Welcome to the fifth episode of Therapy Dog Talk: a weekly interview of Therapy Dog teams. In this episode, we interviewed Adele of @thepawfectmatchshop who shared: Why she decided to go into Animal Assisted Therapy. How she found and trained Rosie…