Ragnar Passed with a Near Perfect Score!
First off, we’re sorry this blog post has taken so long. It’s been a busy fall for everyone here at Oakey’s (including Ragnar!), so we’re a bit behind on updating the community about his achievements.
Our fluffy companion took his therapy animal licensure exam on October 19th at Cave Spring United Methodist Church, and we’re delighted to report that he passed with a near-perfect score! Ragnar’s testing was conducted by TheraPets, a Roanoke affiliate of Pet Partners, a nationwide organization whose trained volunteers administer tests to handler/pet teams. Ragnar and Mitzi Oakey, his handler/grandmother, were tested in various scenarios that were similar to what they practiced throughout the training classes. They had to walk calmly through a crowd of people; greet a friendly stranger; resist a tasty object on the ground nearby; demonstrate obedience the commands sit, stay, and down; come when called; greet a stranger with a dog; accept grooming and inspection of their ears, nails, etc.; and resist auditory and visual distractions. Despite having never been in this facility or met any of the people or animals in the room, Ragnar performed like the professional that we have always known he is!
Getting to be a registered therapy dog is a long process. From obedience training as a puppy growing up in Nashville, to Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Prep classes with High Hopes Dog Training here in Roanoke, Rags has had extensive education from experts. He has already spent thousands of hours at work comforting those in mourning and experiencing the vast diversity of appearances, emotions, and behavior that we come in contact with. One of the most impressive things we see with Ragnar on a daily basis is his ability to switch gears from playtime to work time at the drop of a hat. When we’re slow and don’t have any guests in the building, we’ll throw the tennis ball down the hallway for Rags to chase and retrieve. He loves this, along with playing keep away from the person throwing the ball. Other times someone may be wrestling with him on the floor and getting kisses in the face from him. As soon as he walks into a room with visitors, however, he is as respectful and sensitive as any staff member we have. This ability to differentiate between work and play at our funeral homes is inspiring, because it lets us see that he is focused more on the people in the room than simply what room or building he is in. Ragnar is very much a people-oriented dog, and that is evidenced by his ability to adjust his behavior to respond appropriately to different environments.
Ragnar’s testing was on a Saturday morning and he had big plans for the rest of his weekend. He left straight from the church to head to Nashville for Adopt a Golden Nashville’s annual Great Golden Gathering, a fall festival that raises money for Golden Retriever rescue and brings together hundreds of people and their dogs from Nashville and beyond. After a stressful morning of exams and seven hours in a car on Saturday, Ragnar made up for it on Sunday. Not only did he get to spend the day playing with other dogs and getting loved on by lots of people, but he also got to reunite with one of his lifelong best friends who still lives in Nashville. You can see Rags and his buddy Fitz below hiding from the sun!
Thanks for following along on Ragnar’s journey to becoming a registered therapy dog! If you would like to keep up with Ragnar’s daily adventures in and out of the office you can follow him on Instagram @ragamuffin2016. He can be found most days at any of the Oakey’s locations and is always happy to get a chance to make new friends. If you are visiting us or even just want to stop by to meet Ragnar, feel free to bring your own furry family member. We’re very dog-friendly and Rags has even agreed (reluctantly) to share a few of his treats. ☺
Follow Ragnar on Instagram @ragamuffin2016
