Barbie

Barbie has become a household name to many of the residents at Nursing Homes, because of how gentle she is. Nursing homes graciously open their doors to the concept of Pet Therapy. Today, It is a heartwarming experience to visit nursing homes and share our Barbie with the elderly, their families, and all other residents who live there. It is profoundly moving to see how Barbie has the ability to help calm and soothe agitated individuals while lifting the spirits of those who are sad and lonely. She provides a medium for physical touch and display affection for those who have lived isolated lives.The mere presence of Barbie raises the spirits of a person and the petting and touching of the fur allows one to have a wonderful object toward which to express their affection. Therapy Dogs like Barbie, elicit responses from some nursing home patients who are typically withdrawn and limited in their abilities. Stroking the back of a dog leads to more movement from the patient and consequent...

I wear a Service Dog Vest, because where ever I go I want people to know, I am working. If I do not wear my vest, people think I am a pet and treat me like a play thing. I am very cute and beautiful. I wear ribbons in my fur and paint my nails. I wear bling around my neck, all of this is to help my disabled person. The person I take care of needs my Emotional Support. In order to do that,  I must be clean, well dressed, organized and obedient. All people that meet me must treat me with respect and know that I am working. I go to public places with my handler wearing my service dog vest. At these places I treat everyone with respect. I cannot talk, so my vest tells everyone that I am friendly and if you ask my handler, he will determine if you are safe to pet me. Many places I go, many people want to run up to me and hug me. I get very nervous around some people because I fear those people want to hurt my handler or disabled person. Please see attached video showing a disabled perso...

Sometimes people will come up to us and say, ‘is that a real service dog?’ I didn’t get questioned so much a year ago,”  noting that I would be willing to show identification. “My dog is a service dog and she guides me wherever I’m going. My dog actually has a specific purpose in what she does.” The monetary value of such fully-trained guide dogs is about $50,000. The cost involves raising and training the dog over the course of several months, often up to two years. Barbie has trained for 16 months. Several websites sell “identification packages” that help pet owners create the illusion of a trained service dog. For $249, customers visiting the site for Service Dogs America, for example, can buy a special doggie vest and ID cards that label the dog as a service animal. The company claims the package, along with a self-administered test, helps owners “clearly identify your dog as a service dog and avoid awkward confrontations when entering public places with your dog.”The websit...