Since 2002, Suzanne Easley Buck has been a volunteer with the Sharp Coronado Hospital Auxiliary with her certified therapy dog bearded collies. Her current star is Patton, a nine-year-old grand champion with a huge heart.
What makes bearded collies such great therapy dogs? They are a herding breed that herd and care for sheep. Beardies, as they are referred to, are high energy dogs requiring a job. They love responsibility and are very perceptive to their surroundings. In the hospital setting, they are sensitive to the needs and feelings of the patients they visit. When Patton puts on his Therapy Dog harness, he knows it’s time to work. He warmly greets everyone in his path – staff, visitors, and patients – as he leads Suzanne through the hospital. The team is especially helpful in the Emergency Room and ICU floor, where patients and families are dealing with difficult and urgent medical issues.
Patton will enter a patient’s room once Suzanne has introduced him and asks if they would like a visit from a therapy dog. If the patient has visitors, they are usually happy to get Patton’s attention as well. Frequently, Suzanne is handed the patient’s phone to take a photo of them with Patton. When all available patients and staff have been visited and loved, their day is complete.
Suzanne was inspired to train her dogs for therapy work after reading an article in the local East County newspaper about a rottweiler visiting cancer patients and lifting their spirits. She had adopted a stray dog that she thought would be excellent for this job. The dog passed the difficult tests with flying colors! Not long after this, Suzanne discovered that her stray was a bearded collie mix. Suzanne has since become a breeder of registered bearded collies. Patton is her fifth therapy dog and the pick from her first registered litter in 2015. All therapy dogs need to complete obedience work, and then achieve a Canine Good Citizen title from the American Kennel Club. After this, the owner selects the organization they wish to represent and pass their required tests. Suzanne and Patton are certified with Therapy Dogs International. Sharp Coronado Hospital would welcome more certified therapy dogs into their program.
While Suzanne plays a very specific and highly trained role, there are more than twenty ways that residents can volunteer as a member of the Sharp Coronado Hospital Auxiliary. For more information about the work of the Hospital Auxiliary volunteers, contact [email protected] or call 619-522-3675.
