Written by Linda Cinquegrana

Sometimes when God tells you to go, you don’t know what to expect, but you go.

Lily and I headed out on a journey to the tip of Long Island at the request of Barbara, whose father has ALS. This would not be a regular visit as we would be spending several days with them at a home they rented by the beach. Barbara had seen the article about the Comfort Dogs in Orlando and was curious what they do.  She felt that Lily could be beneficial to her dad, trying to give him and make him feel a different kind of love, with no filters or judgment as a dog can do.  But, most of all,  keeping him distracted with nice thoughts and make him
smile and not think about his condition.  This was our mission.

Lily and I  arrived on a stormy, rainy afternoon. Immediately it was clear Paolo was strong in the legs but had difficulty with his arms and speech, but the joy in seeing Lily was apparent. We sat down to an amazing Italian lunch and I explained what the Comfort Dogs are about and what they do.  Thankfully Barbara was able to translate, as her mother does not speak English and her father understands and speaks only a little. (I wish I had taken Italian in school not French) I also presented them with a stuffed comfort dog which Paolo smiled and cuddled with his neck.

We then went into town for a walk and they got to see first hand the affect Lily has in a public place. We returned to the house, while we were preparing dinner in the kitchen, Paolo and Lily discovered a special way they could connect…Paolo sat in the living room and Lily laid at his feet.  He took off his sandals and began to pet her and smile. Words cannot describe the joy on his face or the joy Barbara and her mother felt.

The next morning we started what would become our walks with Paolo by the water and conversations on the bench. I also discovered if I let Lily walk right next to him he could brush his hand on her head and back. As they walked he would say “my friend Lily”.  When we sat on the bench to rest and look out on the water, he shared with me how he wanted to give up and close his eyes forever.  I told him it was not his choice, but it was God’s.  He smiled and nodded.  We talked about all the joy and happiness that he still had to experience and why it was important that he was still here.  When we returned, breakfast was waiting in the garden, and through translation Barbara’s mother shared that when they were getting ready for bed the night before, Paolo was cuddling the stuffed comfort dog. She noticed a lady bug on the dog’s head.  This means good luck, and she was filled with joy.

There were many moments of joy and sharing in those two days, but none will be more special than our walks and talks by the water. On our last morning before leaving, Paolo shared that his time with Lily and me will be “forever in his heart for all of his life”.  I agree my time with Paolo and his family will be forever in my heart as well.

You never know where God will take you or what will happen when you go.  Just go and let God take care of the rest.  Through Lily, I am Blessed to have met Paolo and I have been changed forever.

Lily and her Handlers have had the  privilege of going to the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine on several occasions this spring. This amazing experience came about because the Wellness Committee had learned about the comfort and stress relief a dog brings to humans, and they wanted to bring this comfort to their own students. Medical School is highly competitive, and the stress is very high. The Wellness Committee was hoping to alleviate some of this stress by having Lily visit during exam weeks.

As we were there with Lily, here are some of the things we heard! (Please note everyone gets down on the floor and strokes, pets, cuddles, kisses, massages, and loves on Lily)

What you hear when a dog is on campus.

“A puppy!!! Can I take her with me to study?”

“Oh, I miss my dog/cat.”

“She’s so soft.”

“Does she know how happy she makes us?” (I think she does…we certainly do.)

“I am going to schedule my study breaks so I can come and see her.”

“Where’s everyone going?” “There’s s dog here.”

“I want a dog.”

“I need some puppy love.”

“I want a dog so badly, but I can hardly take care of myself right now.” (We are praying for you.”

“Oh, look at her eyes. She’s so cute.”

“I need to learn to be calm like her. I get so nervous before an exam.”

“That dog is stress free.” (She is!)

“Maybe if we lay on the floor we will be calm, too. Let’s try it.” And they proceeded to lay down on the floor like Lily.

“I’ll be back after my exam. I’ll need a puppy hug then, too.”

“She gets so much love…and she gives so much love.”

“Can you be here every day?”

“OK, Lily…here I come!”

“Do you know the blessings you bring to everyone?”

We do have an idea about the blessings we bring to everyone, and that’s why we do what we do. It is so amazing to make friends and see the joy and comfort Lily brings to everyone she meets, from the littlest babies, to the children learning to read, to the students on campus, to the elderly who are lonely and miss their own pets and families.

Do you ever wonder what it is like living with a Comfort Dog?

Living with a Comfort Dog can be fun, hard work, and very rewarding. A Comfort Dog has a lot of needs, and because she does such important work, her caregivers will make sure she is properly taken care of. It’s part of her reward and our responsibility.

Lily has her own bed, toys, sleeping location, and dish in each of the homes that she lives at. Because we share resopnsibility for her, she has been trained to be comfortable in each of our homes. Feeding is a big ritual that helps her bond with her caregivers.

A Typical Day

The day starts with a good morning greeting by Lily. She wags her tail so hard when waking up and seeing her family, that sometimes I think she is going to wag her behind right off! She will follow me into the bathroom, but she never just bursts through the door…she will stick her nose in and wait for me to tell her to come in. She’s very polite.

She will then go outside for her morning “Hurry Up.” “Hurry Up” is the command that tells her when and where it is ok to go potty. Try that one, humans!

After that, breakfast is served. Comfort Dogs always eat after the caregiver does. This tells the dog that the human is “Alpha” so Lily will wait patiently on her mat while we eat, and she doesn’t beg or bother us. She politely looks away. After the dishes are cleared, she gets fed. Lily always waits to be told to eat. Sometimes she is so excited to eat she will drool a little, but she always waits to be told to “Go Eat.” Once I forgot to tell my Josie to “Go Eat” and I found her about 10 minutes later waiting patiently. Poor dog! But she knows this command the best.

After breakfast, Lily will go for a walk, coat brushed, teeth brushed, and ready for the day. When its time to go to work, we tell Lily to “Dress.” This is how we put her working vest on. She knows she is working when the vest goes on, and she calms right down and gets prepared for work. Then we’ll hop in the car and go for a visit to a nursing home, a school, or some other place where love and comfort is needed. We will also take Lily with us when we run errands, like grocery shopping, the post office, the gardening center, or the local Walmart. Traveling with Lily is always an adventure, and we have to add more time to running a simple errand because of the people we meet and speak with at all our stops. But these are also training and picture opportunities, and it helps the community get to know about Lily.

When we get home, the vest comes off with another “Dress” command. Then Lily becomes a real dog, playing, jumping, and running around. All these activities are done on command, and we make sure she has lots of time to have fun, run, and play. If she has had a particularly long and stressful day, then she will get a treat…an apple slice with peanut butter hidden in a Kong Toy. She’ll spend hours trying to get to that tasty treat. It helps her stay sharp and keeps her problem solving skills sharp. After all, she can’t just reach in there to get the apple out. Then there will be another walk before dinner, and then one after dinner.

If Lily has a home with another dog, then playtime with her friend is always on the menu. She loves to chase, play fetch, and run with her friends. And, throughout the day, training opportunities will come up. for instance, if we are cooking and drop something on the floor, we tell her to “leave it” and she does. Also, a “down-stay” is always good throughout the day. This helps Lily stay sharp, and also gives our pets a chance to practice their good behaviors, too. And, we will look for opportunities to take pictures of her playing, because her facebook friends like to see her being herself as well as working.

Lily also gets a massage at the end of the day. We make sure we massage every part of her, including her paws. She really enjoys this treat and it helps her relax.

Then it’s time to go to bed, and Lily is ready with a “Go to your mat” command. She sometimes takes her toy to bed with her, but she stays quiet until the morning when the family gets up and her day starts over again.

Well, that is pretty much how our day goes. Lots of love, play, fun activities, balanced with work, comfort, and pets. I hope you enjoyed coming along with us for a day. Spending the day with Lily always reminds me of Psalms 92:4 because of the joy Lily gives to so many people:

“For you, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done. I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”

Is there something you would like to know about LIly and her day? Please write to us in the comment section, below. We would love to hear from you.