Therapy
Dog Eases Grieving Process
BY NATE HOEKSTRA
nhoekstra@grandhaventribune.com
GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP — When a loved one
passes away, it's common for family and friends to gather to celebrate
the life of the deceased, but a new twist on that time-tested
tradition — the addition of a professional four-legged friend
— is making a big difference in the grieving process for
families at Clock Funeral Home.
There are three Clock Funeral Homes:
Grand Haven Township, Fruitport and Muskegon.
Max, a 9-year-old Shetland sheepdog and registered
therapy dog, is now a permanent "employee" of Clock
Funeral Home after his arrival at visitations and receptions turned
out to be a comfort to families dealing with the death of a loved
one.
Max, like all other therapy dogs certified
by Therapy Dogs International, has passed an extensive battery
of tests on behavior and temperament to ensure he will act appropriately
in public situations and around strangers.
"He's got the greatest temperament for
this," said one of Max's owners, Dale Clock. "He just
comes around and people love him."
While the therapy dog concept is traditionally
used in hospices and nursing homes, Clock is one of just a handful
of funeral homes nationwide to explore the benefits of using animals
to lift the spirits of grieving family members at visitations.
Max has free reign of the entire lobby and
lounge area during the work day, and "works" the visitations
if the family approves his presence.
Jodi Clock, Dale's wife and Max's other owner,
said they have had only a few families request that Max not work,
and most of those were due to simple allergies.
"He senses that it's start time (for a
visitation) and he'll go up and greet people," Jodi said.
"He'll literally go around and shake hands just like a person
would."
Jodi and Dale said that Max's greatest ability
is how easily he "disarms" people.
"Dogs are just comforting," Jodi
said. "They have an unconditional acceptance of most people."
While Max began as a simple household pet,
he has transformed the atmosphere in the funeral home, which has
been a relief for Dale.
"I was a little leery about this at first,
but the first family we had here fell in love with him,"
Dale said. "He's been marvelously accepted."
Max has been working for nearly a year, and
has come into a natural fit regardless of original concerns about
whether he would work out.
"The doorbell was a challenge. He had
to get used to the sound so he didn't bark," Jodi said.
And Max is quite the candy hound — he
had to be put on a diet after guests and other employees fed him
too many treats.
"There was a reception at our Muskegon
facility where he drooled into a woman's purse because there was
candy in there. ... He drools like a faucet around candy,"
Dale said.
Another benefit that has been observed is the
way children — who Jodi said typically don't want to be
in the funeral home — react more positively to the situation.
"He really takes the spook factor out
of it for them," she said. "The kids are all on the
floor with the dog, and he's keeping them busy. It's a distraction,
a diversion."
In addition to occupying the attention of children,
Max also serves as a pathway to memories of the deceased and their
pet for the family.
"They see the dog and tell stories about
their dog," Jodi said. "Animals are a big part of so
many people's lives, so we use him (Max) to try to make things
easier for them. We try to create a comfortable atmosphere and
the dog really blends right in with that."
"Funerals can be sad occasions, but we
also want to create an atmosphere where you can tell stories and
talk about that person," Dale added. "Many times, a
pet was part of that life story."
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