Once upon a time, in the summer of 2017, a little poodle was born. At the same time, a family lived in an apartment in Budapest, who had long wished for a dog. The mother had spent her entire childhood surrounded by dogs—there were always at least 3-4 dogs around her. She shared all her joys and sorrows with them. When she had children of her own, she wanted to give them the same experience: to have a dog as a companion and friend. And, not least, she herself missed having a “furry child” in her life.
Finally, the day came when the puppy and the family found each other. There was great joy—the children loved the little dog from the very first moment, and they named him Bubi. The puppy immediately became part of the family, learned quickly, and soon became house-trained. He was a very smart dog; in a short time, he learned tricks and loved playing fetch.
He started attending puppy classes, and later also went to dog school. Since he was a very calm, balanced puppy with a good nervous system, and his “mom” (owner) had long worked with children, it seemed obvious that Bubi could become a therapy support dog. After long training and difficult exams, he received his “diploma.” This allowed them to start working together.
Bubi was very skilled from the very first moment. They shared many experiences together. Both small and bigger “miracles” happened during their joint work (which for both of them was more of a pleasure and joy).
There was a little boy with autism who, during motor skill development, had not made any progress for a month. The little boy resisted new tasks, and “Bubi mom” could no longer motivate him with anything, even though she had tried almost everything, but the boy only stuck to his old, well-known tasks.
One day, Bubi the dog arrived for the usual exercise session. The owner knew that the little boy was not afraid of animals, so they decided to give it a try. The little boy welcomed Bubi with joy and almost lit up when he saw him. They agreed that if he successfully tried the new tasks, he could play with Bubi afterward, ask for tricks, and pet him. Incredibly, during that session, he completed several new tasks that he had previously refused. From then on, Bubi became his greatest motivation as long as the therapy lasted.
The little dog often also participated in school-preparatory sessions to bring cheerfulness into learning new skills.
In one of these groups, there was a little boy who was very afraid of dogs. Bubi and his owner kept a respectful distance and proceeded in small steps. At first, he even climbed on top of the table when he saw the dog. Then he observed from afar but did not speak to it, pet it, or approach it. After several weeks, he occasionally asked about it, and months later he went closer to it and, with the help of an adult, petted it for a moment. Gradually, he became braver. At the last joint session, this boy lay on the floor and happily hugged Bubi lying on top of him, whispering to him: “I love you very much!” His father said that for his next birthday, he asked for a dog-shaped cake. His father, a veterinarian, said that the most beautiful gift for him was that his little son was no longer afraid of dogs.
Another child with autism attended an inclusive kindergarten group but did not really connect with anyone and was reluctant to participate in group tasks or the life of the group. During animal-assisted sessions, Bubi visited the children weekly. The little boy was there too but hardly noticed the dog, as if he did not perceive its presence. This went on week after week, month after month. One day, to everyone’s surprise, the little boy somehow noticed the dog. He went over and petted him. Everyone watched the scene with bated breath. From then on, he could be involved in dog-related activities and was always the first to volunteer when something with the dog could be done.
A few weeks later, the kindergarten teachers enthusiastically reported that the little boy increasingly sought opportunities to connect with them and his peers and could more easily be involved in joint activities. By the end of the school year, he would even sit at the table on his own when a task was coming up.
They had countless shared stories together until one day Bubi reached his “retirement” years. He now rarely accompanies his owner to work. But he still brightens his family’s life every day. He has a real therapeutic effect on the 91-year-old great-grandmother, who has had many health issues, with whom he has developed a true bond. Great-grandma often lies down and experiences pain, but when Bubi visits, she gets out of bed and throws her ball to him laughing, and the dog runs back to her without stopping. Sometimes he stays for longer visits. Then in the mornings, she wakes her great-grandma, and they have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together.
Such a small animal can also be a helper for a person in grief. There is a kind neighbor lady who recently lost her daughter. For her, Bubi is also a therapy support. Since the death, they walk together every evening and love each other very much.
An animal—be it a dog, cat, rabbit, horse, hamster, parrot, hedgehog, anything—can be a loyal companion and helper at any age and in any life situation.
