Learning to love again starts with trust.

It’s almost one year since Kona came to stay with us, as a foster dog, and shortly afterward became part of our family. What a year it has been. We have seen Kona blossom into a loving, fun and most importantly, confident dog. Learning how to trust has been the biggest factor in his remarkable transformation. He has reached beyond his past and gone on to help others in need by becoming a registered  therapy dog. Everyday I marvel at how much he has changed…and is still changing, both physically and emotionally. I have always know it takes time for adopted dogs to realize they are finally home but it takes even more time for dogs who have never experienced real love to accept they are now safe and will be loved forever.

In the past month, Kona has changed more than I had ever hoped for. He demonstrated an unbelievable tenderness and affection for a visiting 18 month old toddler that was amazing to witness. The two of them seemed to communicate on a level no one else could understand and bonded deeply. She would ask for Kona when she woke the morning and he would seek her out at bedtime. He would curl up around her lovingly and wagged his tail mightily when she ran up to him and hugged him. He patiently performed all his commands for her older sister and was ecstatic to play frisbee with her, even giving her the frisbee when he returned it, something he does not always do for us. He obviously loves kids and they love him. Young children on our block adore Kona and knock on our door just to say hello to Kona.

On our pet therapy rounds at the hospital, he is both the clown,  sitting up like a bear or offering his paw until he gets pets, as well as intuitive to those who need him most. Kona will automatically find those who need a gentle nose nudge and a pet, often leading me to those patients with determination. While he was terrified of almost everything when he came to us, Kona is now unfazed by wheelchairs,  IV stands, gurneys and the everyday chaos of the hospital.

The most amazing thing to watch is Kona’s effect on the patients we work with in speech and physical therapy. He will walk straight up to wheelchair bound patients and place his head in their lap or near their hands if they have limited motor skills. How he distinguishes that fact, I do not know. They will always respond with an effort to touch him. I have watched Kona bring those patients struggling with grief and anger to a calmer state and even acceptance to begin their healing. I have witnessed a patient in a coma respond  to Kona’s touch with movement that doctors and nurses were stymied by and I have seen him soothe those in the grip of loss of a loved one. He takes it all and makes it good. This was Kona’s calling, he is a natural and I am humbled to be on this journey with him.