Dachshund has knack for helping

DOG THERAPY—Louie the dachshund has become an important part of Dr. Judy Welch's therapy sessions. The pooch helps put patients at ease, especially younger patients who may come to the sessions with fear and anxiety. "Dogtor" Louie is a healer.

The tiny, chocolate-colored dachshund is owned by Dr. Judy Welch, a Thousand Oaks-based psychologist who learned that Louie had a knack for helping people in therapy.

Louie's talent for tending to the emotional needs of patients was accidentally discovered when Welch adopted him as a 10month-old pup from a shelter and brought him to her office so he wouldn't have to be home alone.

As the puppy snuggled in a crate while Welch conducted her sessions, clients were drawn to the pooch and began asking that he be allowed to sit on their laps or at least roam the office.

The interaction between Louie and Welch's patients reaped immediate rewards. In the midst of people dealing with "painful and challenging" issues, Louie was able to sense their emotions and had an even greater capacity to adjust his behavior and "physical distance" to each person's comfort level, Welch said.

"He was unbelievable, observant of all the patients but never intrusive," Welch said of her dog, which she now calls her assistant. "Louie has the uncanny ability to understand the emotions of others and is able to accommodate to those mood states. He has a sixth sense, especially for those who are depressed, anxious or feeling overwhelmed."

Thanks to Louie, Welch has one additional tool with which to treat clients. A 9-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder who was scared of new situations became receptive to therapy once Louie helped him decrease his anxiety level, Welch said.

An adult with phobias—including a fear of dogs—was able to overcome her fears in less than three months, Welch said.

A 12-year-old girl, who Welch described as being "highly resistant to authority," was failing in school, and when traditional therapeutic methods failed to help the child, Welch enlisted help from Louie.

"She connected with Louie and agreed to call into the office and leave a message for Louie each night when she completed her homework," Welch said. "That was the start of some significant improvement at school."

A physically fragile woman undergoing chemotherapy and facing life and death issues gained a new calm by having Louie sit on her lap, Welch said. "(Louie) sensed he could not move around and jostle her, so he sat perfectly still while she stroked him," Welch said. "The soothing experience made it easier for her to open up about her fears and concerns."

Louie, now 4 years old, is not just a good sport—he's a licensed professional in his own right. Louie passed the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizenship test that requires dogs to be focused and wellbehaved around a variety of distractions. Therapy dog training started as soon as Louie was certified as a "canine good citizen," Welch said. He earned the "Dogtor" moniker through the suggestion of an 8yearold patient.

Therapy dogs are taught to ignore noises and things that ordinarily would pose a distraction, like hospital equipment and school noises. Louie was certified through Therapy Dogs International, a program that has been operating for more than 30 years and has a national registry.

Zachary, a 14-year-old boy from Westlake Village, appreciates Louie at his therapy sessions.

"When I'm having a bad day or something, I just come in and I see him and . . . being able to pet him and sit with him just makes me feel a lot better," Zachary said. Dogtor Louie also inspires Zachary, who said he likes to imagine how the dog would respond to some of his concerns, which helps him look at problems from a different perspective.

"The second you see him it just kind of makes you feel better," Zachary said.

Welch said she decided to train Louie as a therapy dog because "from the moment he came into my life he demonstrated gentility—a calmness."

"Therapy dogs provide emotional support to those in need, with an empathic stance," Welch said. Therapy dogs visit people in schools, hospitals, retirement homes and anywhere where people need some kind of therapy. Welch said the therapeutic effect between dog and patient "extends to mental and physical well-being, such as lowering blood pressure, relieving stress and raising spirits."

Louie has had a big impact on Welch's patients beyond therapy. Some patients, she said, who have never owned a dog— even some who were caninephobic—have adopted or purchased a dog of their own.

"Some patients who were phobic now own what they call their 'Louie' dogs," Welch said. "They have learned the benefits of owning a pet, the mutual caretaking and positive rewards of animal companionship."

Welch has worked with children, families and adults for 15 years. She focuses on developmental, learning, emotional and attention issues, with a special emphasis on anxiety and depression. She previously worked for 10 years as a public school psychologist and was instrumental in founding the local CHADD organization (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder). She has spoken nationally on such topics as attention deficit disorder, anxiety reduction and other childhood developmental disorders. She can be reached at (805) 373-1813 or at dr.judy@verizon.net.