A sibling reunion and a failed career as a show dog turned Alan Towles’ golden retriever, Gracie, into the pet everyone wants to hug.
Since completing her training to be a therapy dog in 2021, Gracie, accompanied by her owner, has made more than 200 visits to hospitals, schools and other institutions where her cold nose can be a warm respite from stress.
“People say, ‘This is the best thing that’s happened to me today,’” said Towles. “I know she’s making a positive impact in their lives.”
Gracie embarked on her service career after being bumped from the show dog circuit. In 2020, the retired Towles bought the dog from the same breeder who had sold his daughter a litter mate.
“As luck would have it, one of her measurements was off a quarter inch, which is a big deal for a show dog,” said Towles. “So when the breeder reached out to my daughter to see if she knew someone who’d be interested in a dog, we thought it would be great to reunite the sisters.”
The Vinings resident immediately enrolled Gracie in an obedience class where he met volunteers from Happy Tails, a Roswell-based organization that trains animals to provide physical, social, emotional and cognitive therapy. They thought Gracie had the ideal demeanor to do the job, so dog and owner went through an evaluation and passed. After about 30 hours of basic training, they took a four-week session through the American Kennel Club and another eight weeks of intense therapy training. By 2021, the two were making about 18 visits a month.
“Whether they’re adults or children, most people want to pet her,” said Towles. “Sometimes people want to brush her. And some locations allow the dogs to get in bed with patients. No matter what, when people are having a bad day, you can see in their faces how thrilled they are to interact. In the end, it’s all for their benefit.”
Towles said Gracie’s calm demeanor, cute smile and soulful eyes help her make fast friends. And she’s the same at home as when visiting with kids going through medical procedures or high schoolers who need a mental health boost. Each visit lasts about an hour.
“Because of the stimulation she gets, that’s equivalent to working and eight-hour day,” said Towles. “But she enjoys it. And she’s never met a person or another dog she doesn’t like. I’ve had other dogs, but never one like Gracie. I’ve hit the lottery with her.”
For her service, Gracie has been recognized by the American Kennel Club with its AKC Therapy Dog Excellent title. Towles said he now has his own title as well: “I’m Gracie’s Uber driver.”
Information about Happy Tails is online at happytailspets.org.
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