Therapy Dog

In the last issue of The Mailbag there was a story about Geegeelup Village accompanied by a picture of an impressive dog named Zac with one of the residents. Zac is a therapy dog.

He is a unique breed of dog, his mother being a Scottish Deerhound, which is a large breed of hound. The outward appearance of the Scottish Deerhound is similar to the Greyhound, but larger and more heavily boned.

His father was a Borzoi, a Russian Wolf Hound, which is an aristocratic hound, large, lean and strong.

This breed has a distinctive, long and narrow head with dark, far-seeing eyes. The coat has a silky texture and can be curly, wavy or flat but never woolly.

Zac is now four and a half years old and weights around 58 kilograms. His size is such that the family station wagon was traded in to buy a van so Zac could stand up in the back.

Zac’s temperament is a quiet one along with a sensitive and gentle nature which he displays to all those he meets.

Sue Williams is Zac’s owner and handler. Sue worked as a Dog Obedience Trainer before retiring to Bridgetown. “When assessing a dog’s performance in my obedience classes I often give the dog a passing grade, but the pet owners a failure mark.

“Pets need set boundaries, discipline, consequences and rewards, often a dog behaving badly is a reflection of the owners.”

Sue had insights into Zac’s potential from an early age when he was a puppy, Sue speaks with delight about Zac, “When Zac was around two years of age his empathy for others was very evident. One Saturday morning whilst walking down the street in Bridgetown, Zac was approached by a couple with the wife bending down to cuddle and pat Zac with the husband being a bit standoffish. Zac sensing something with the husband approached him and placed his head on the stranger’s shoulder alongside his neck, evoking tears from the stranger. The day before he’d been diagnosed with throat cancer, the cancer being exactly where Zac had rested his face.

“Zac works three days a week. On Mondays he works in Manjimup with Special Needs children, those who are autistic and anxious. His size, stature and nature combine to induce a sense of wonderment and a calming effect.

“On Wednesdays he visits Balingup Primary School, here his company is used as a reward for those children who have tried hard, shown improvement, been helpful or as a comfort to children who are sad. Zac’s gentleness always makes a difference.

“On Fridays Zac is a ‘Therapy Dog’ at Geegeelup Village. At Geegeelup hostel he has a welcoming cohort of ‘old friends’ he has visited over time, receiving all the pats and cuddles and welcoming gestures which are on offer, he is always looking to make new friends, seeking out those who would like some friendly intercourse.

“I find I can’t wear any eye makeup on these outings, Zac’s interaction with the residents for me is very emotional.

“His size and presence have always attracted attention, he seems to draw a crowd.

“Children are attracted to Zac with a sense of wonderment, he is such a large and unusual animal.”

Sue and Zac are accredited with Animal Companions Inc. WA, which is a not-for-profit organisation based in Western Australia. It was established by a dedicated team of volunteers, whose desire is to share the joy of their dogs with people in need in the community.