MONROE - Murphy had his uniform on and his teeth brushed.
Working with his mother, as June Augsburg calls herself, Murphy demonstrated his professional duties as a hospice dog at the Stateline Woman's Connection meeting Wednesday.
Murphy is an normal farm dog, a golden retriever who digs holes in the yard and chases rabbits.
"But something happens when he puts on his jacket," Augsburg said.
Murphy becomes calm and reserved, and he loves to give kisses, when he visits the terminally ill in nursing homes and private residences.
Augsburg is a retired school teacher. She thought she'd just "have some fun" in her retirement, but "the Lord had other ideas" for her. She became a hospice dog volunteer and now teaches dog classes.
The jacket that Murphy wears, as do all hospice dogs, means he is working. But unlike seeing-eye dogs or other utility dogs, hospice dogs are meant to be touched and petted and played with.
"Their job is to make patients forget they're sick and to make the nurses forget," Augsburg said.
To prepare for a trip to the nursing home, Murphy has his teeth brushed for fresh kissing breath. He is bathed and groomed. His equipment - such as reindeer antlers, glasses, Easter bunny ears and fetch balls - is gathered. All toys are soft to prevent any injuries to patients - or nearby doctors, Augsburg said.
Hospice dogs are temperament tested, kept in perfect physical health and trained for basic obedience. They can't fear wheelchairs or jump on patients - and certainly cannot grab for the tennis balls used on the legs of walkers. And the dogs are not breed specific. Augsburg said rottweilers, pit bulls, dalmations and collies are in the program.
Murphy can hold five balls in his mouth at a time, but will not touch food or pills or anything else when told to "leave it."
"And a stay is a stay is a stay, even if the sky is falling," Augsburg said. Augsburg rolled Murphy's fetch ball right past him. Murphy watched with ears perked, but didn't reach for it.
Murphy is so well trained that Augsburg had to spell "s-i-t" when she was directing Marla Siedschlag, a former student, who was helping during the demonstration. But even that version of the command Murphy is starting to understand.
Hospice dogs also act as therapy dogs.
Augsburg said she watched a patient play fetch with Murphy, using the very arm her therapist had been trying to get her to use.
Hospice dogs visit their patients for a brief period each week, "usually for three months for a terminally ill patient," Augsburg said.
Augsburg learned the extent to which hospice dogs affect patients when she was called by a family asking Murphy to attend the funeral of their mother.
At the funeral on the displays of pictures recording the woman's life, Augsburg saw pictures that she had taken of Murphy sitting next to the woman. The woman had saved them. "She didn't even know our names on the last day," one son told Augsburg.
But she remembered Murphy.
Working with his mother, as June Augsburg calls herself, Murphy demonstrated his professional duties as a hospice dog at the Stateline Woman's Connection meeting Wednesday.
Murphy is an normal farm dog, a golden retriever who digs holes in the yard and chases rabbits.
"But something happens when he puts on his jacket," Augsburg said.
Murphy becomes calm and reserved, and he loves to give kisses, when he visits the terminally ill in nursing homes and private residences.
Augsburg is a retired school teacher. She thought she'd just "have some fun" in her retirement, but "the Lord had other ideas" for her. She became a hospice dog volunteer and now teaches dog classes.
The jacket that Murphy wears, as do all hospice dogs, means he is working. But unlike seeing-eye dogs or other utility dogs, hospice dogs are meant to be touched and petted and played with.
"Their job is to make patients forget they're sick and to make the nurses forget," Augsburg said.
To prepare for a trip to the nursing home, Murphy has his teeth brushed for fresh kissing breath. He is bathed and groomed. His equipment - such as reindeer antlers, glasses, Easter bunny ears and fetch balls - is gathered. All toys are soft to prevent any injuries to patients - or nearby doctors, Augsburg said.
Hospice dogs are temperament tested, kept in perfect physical health and trained for basic obedience. They can't fear wheelchairs or jump on patients - and certainly cannot grab for the tennis balls used on the legs of walkers. And the dogs are not breed specific. Augsburg said rottweilers, pit bulls, dalmations and collies are in the program.
Murphy can hold five balls in his mouth at a time, but will not touch food or pills or anything else when told to "leave it."
"And a stay is a stay is a stay, even if the sky is falling," Augsburg said. Augsburg rolled Murphy's fetch ball right past him. Murphy watched with ears perked, but didn't reach for it.
Murphy is so well trained that Augsburg had to spell "s-i-t" when she was directing Marla Siedschlag, a former student, who was helping during the demonstration. But even that version of the command Murphy is starting to understand.
Hospice dogs also act as therapy dogs.
Augsburg said she watched a patient play fetch with Murphy, using the very arm her therapist had been trying to get her to use.
Hospice dogs visit their patients for a brief period each week, "usually for three months for a terminally ill patient," Augsburg said.
Augsburg learned the extent to which hospice dogs affect patients when she was called by a family asking Murphy to attend the funeral of their mother.
At the funeral on the displays of pictures recording the woman's life, Augsburg saw pictures that she had taken of Murphy sitting next to the woman. The woman had saved them. "She didn't even know our names on the last day," one son told Augsburg.
But she remembered Murphy.