JJ's Journey: A Story of Heroes and Heart

by Tracy Calhoun, JJ Narrated by Rachel Dulude

Overview

It was 2014 at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House in Oregon, and a ninety-year-old woman in a coma had been totally unresponsive for several days. The woman had no family or friends, and the staff expected she would pass very soon. Tracy, one of the nurses, went in to sit by her side during these final hours. While she was there, her dog, JJ, a staff "therapist," came to join her and hopped up on the bed. JJ snuggled up next to the elderly woman and nuzzled the woman's hand with her snout. And, the woman began stroking JJ's face. Somehow, JJ had reached her, wherever the woman was. Tracy was touched and quickly recorded it on her phone. In August 2015, that video went viral and has been seen tens of millions of times.



JJ's Journey is a heartwarming memoir of a nurse and her dog, and their combined efforts to bring peace and consolation to humans in times of crisis and grief. We learn about the work done at the hospice house and the different kinds of work a therapy dog does both inside and outside of hospitals. Rich with informative detail, we also learn the intricacies of training animals for this work, the complexities of recognizing whether the dog has the right personality, and how to engage their supportive spirit.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

These stories of an unforgettable and deeply intuitive Golden Retriever named JJ, as told by her fabulous handler Tracy, are shared with humor and heart. Many wonderful moments happen when working with therapy dogs and reading about JJ’s magic is an extraordinarily moving experience.” — Donna Frindt, Executive Director, Project Canine



“An emotionally satisfying and entertaining collection of tales not only between a dog and her human, but between this remarkable soul in a Golden Retriever suit and dozens of people in crisis—from hospice care to school shootings.” —Janet Velanovsky , Owner, Kaizen Pet Training & Behavior



“An inspiring memoir, JJ’s Journey illustrates the medical and spiritual benefits of the human-animal bond through JJ’s unwavering patience, love, and support for the hospice patients and their grieving families. JJ’s Journey brings to light that in our greatest time of need, every person can feel they are loved, honored, and mean something in this world thanks to the unconditional love that comes so naturally from a therapy dog’s heart.” —Colby Webb, Founder, Sav-a-Bull Rescue and author of Forty One Pit Bulls

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170661725
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

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