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OSH service dogs in training make a splash

Friday, April 5, 2019


Paddling across the water with a rubber toy in her mouth, Trixie is a frequent visitor to Bailey’s Journey Canine Swim Therapy in Salem.

Not only is the nine-month-old yellow Labrador honing her swimming and retrieval skills, she is building her strength.

“Swim therapy is great for her physical conditioning,” said Catherine Comden, a service dog trainer at Oregon State Hospital in Salem. “Trixie needs to develop strong core muscles to do her job well. Being in good shape helps service dogs avoid injuries and be able to serve their recipients longer.”

Trixie is a part of the hospital’s new Service Dog Training Program. The only one of its kind among state psychiatric hospitals, the program enables OSH patients to train service animals before people in the community receive them.

So far, patients have helped train four dogs – learning valuable communication, leadership and job skills in the process. By the time the dogs are paired with their owners, they’ll have mastered nearly 100 commands, from fetching keys to opening automatic doors.

The training is made possible through a partnership between the hospital’s Vocational & Educational Services Department (VESD) and Joys of Living Assistance Dogs (JLAD), a Salem-based nonprofit organization that matches dogs with people who have disabilities.

For more information about the OSH Service Dog Training Program, contact Tom Anhalt, VESD director, at 503-945-9978; or Doug Anderson, VESD program coordinator, at 503-947-2858.

 


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Trixie trains in the pool at Bailey's Journey Canine Swim therapy in Salem.


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