Angel on a Leash

Advance Praise for
Angel on a Leash

“
David Frei's heartwarming book
Angel on a Leash
shows the magic that our dogs bring to our own lives and to the lives of others when we share them as therapy dogs. That magic is called
unconditional love,
and it is what makes dogs so uniquely special and is how they make a difference in the lives of everyone they touch. You may see your own dog somewhere in this book, a wonderful celebration of dogs in our lives.”

—Dennis B. Sprung, President, American Kennel Club

“
Smiles. That's what therapy dogs are all about at the Ronald McDonald House New York. For our kids and their families who don't always have a lot to smile about, that's a big deal. In
Angel on a Leash,
David Frei beautifully captures what goes on at the House when the dogs are here. A great read.”

—Bill Sullivan, President/CEO, Ronald McDonald House New York

“
Once you've finished reading this beautiful and heartwarming collection of stories, you will have a new understanding of the meaning of the bond between humans and their pets. It is a bond that heals the body and soul and is so lovingly portrayed in this book. If you have ever owned a pet or thought of owning one, you will enjoy every page of
Angel on a Leash.”

—Kathryn W. Coyne, CEO, The Animal Medical Center

“
I have seen firsthand how the Angel On A Leash therapy dog teams work with our pediatric patients, their families, and the staff at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. It is truly amazing! David Frei captures what many of us know intuitively and what science has verified—dogs have a healing effect on us!”

—Toni Millar, Director of Child Life, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital

“
David Frei gets it. Visiting with his own dogs in health care facilities, helping to create and run his Angel On A Leash therapy dog charity, or just interacting with people with his own informal street ministry, he knows how our dogs can change people's lives. It is evident, in this book, that this work gives meaning to David's life. I hope by reading
Angel on a Leash
that you, too, will be inspired to get you and your dog involved in animal-assisted interactions.”

—Christi Dudzik, President, Healing Paws, Inc.

“
Of course, David Frei—the voice of the Westminster dog show—can rattle off breed standards and facts and figures about dogs. It's one thing to know the stats, and another to understand the fundamental nature of dogs. But, going further, David feels it, and you will also. Anyone who has participated in animal-assisted therapy has seen angels on leashes performing real-life miracles. My heart was touched with both tears of sadness and tears of joy. When all was said and done, just two more words:
Angel on a Leash
is
powerful
and
inspirational
.”

—Steve Dale, nationally syndicated radio host, syndicated newspaper columnist (Tribune Media Services), contributing editor
USA Weekend,
American Humane Association board member and national ambassador

“
Therapy dogs rock! Thanks to Teigh, Belle, Angel, and Grace for visiting me at the Ronald McDonald House, and thanks to David for bringing them!”

—Dylan Hartung, ten-year-old resident, Ronald McDonald House New York

Lead Editor:
Amy Deputato

Senior Editor:
Jarelle S. Stein

Design Manager:
Véronique Bos

Art Director:
Cindy Kassebaum

Production Supervisor:
Jessica Jaensch

Assistant Production Manager:
Tracy Vogtman

Book Project Specialist:
Karen Julian

Vice President, Chief Content Officer:
June Kikuchi

Vice President, Kennel Club Books:
Andrew DePrisco

BowTie Press:
Jennifer Calvert, Amy Deputato, Lindsay Hanks, Karen Julian, Jarelle S. Stein

Front cover photos:
Children and Teigh: Ronald McDonald House New York/Neville Bean; Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill and Uno: Mary Bloom; Heather Kingsbury and Angel: Mike Kingsbury; the author and Angel: Danny
Kim/New York
Magazine.
Back cover photo:
The author and Grace from the author's collection.

Copyright © 2011 BowTie Press
^®

B
OW
T
IE
P
RESS
^®

A D
IVISION OF
BOWTIE, INC.

3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of BowTie Press
^®
, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Frei, David.

    Angel on a leash : therapy dogs and the lives they touch / David Frei.

         p. cm.

    ISBN 978-1-935484-63-9 (pbk.)

    eISBN 978-1-937049-23-2

1. Dogs--Therapeutic use--Anecdotes. 2. Working dogs--Anecdotes. I. Title.

    RM931.D63F74 2011

    615.8'5158--dc23

2011023964

Printed and bound in Canada

17 16 15 14 13 12 11    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Dedication

To Teigh, Belle, Angel, and Grace,
for letting me be the guy on the other end of the leash.

To Jessie,
for her courage and her full-speed approach to life.

To Andrea,
for her quiet dignity and her ever-present smile.

And to Mom.
Just because.

Contents

Foreword
by John O'Hurley

Acknowledgments

Introduction: You Have Me

Chapter 1
     Wisdom

Chapter 2
     I Get It

Chapter 3
     Stay Out of Their Way

Chapter 4
     Just Whistle if You Need Me

Chapter 5
     This Is Why

Chapter 6
     Angels for Everyone

Chapter 7
     Therapy on the Street

Chapter 8
     In the Moment

Chapter 9
     Champion Champions

Chapter 10
    Making Rounds

Chapter 11
    Elizabeth Taylor and Me

Chapter 12
    My Character-Rich World

Chapter 13
    Calling All Angels

Chapter 14
    My Angels Have Four Legs

Chapter 15
    The Angel by My Side

Chapter 16
    Yorkie Doodle Dandy

Chapter 17
    My Father, My Dogs

Chapter 18
    The End

Foreword

by John O'Hurley

D
ogs bring out the good in good people. No one told me that. It's just an observation that I've made after wandering deeper into the canine world and witnessing the extraordinary impact that dogs have on the world around them. I have written before that I am a better person with a dog in my lap, and I believe that more today than when I first put that thought to paper.

But I probably would have missed that thought as well as the deeper meaning of how dogs enrich our lives had I not answered a phone call nearly ten years ago. The call was from one of the executives at NBC Sports who began the conversation with the words, “Woof, woof.” He went on to explain that they were taking a chance and developing a dog show to air on Thanksgiving Day called the National Dog Show presented by Purina. He asked if I would host the show along with a gentleman he described as “the most knowledgeable mind in the world of dogs.” That tag still applies to David Frei. I said yes to the offer to host and began a tremendous and enduring friendship with David and his wife Cheri. That friendship introduced me and my wife Lisa not only to a deeper understanding of the commitment and responsibility of dog ownership but also to a deeper and more spiritual purpose for dogs as companions in medical and emotional therapy.

Through his Angel On A Leash organization, I have seen firsthand the good that therapy dogs do—in the cancer wards and in pediatrics. A dog's simple presence brings an irreplaceable moment of stillness and levity to the ill and the elderly. I have watched the hollow look of a sick child turn to a twinkle and smile when a therapy dog leaps on the child's bed.

When a dog wags his tail, it is connected to his heart. When David tells these stories of the dogs he has known and the good that they've done, they are connected to his.

I leave you in good hands.

Acknowledgments

T
his story isn't about me. It's about all of these great dogs and people who do good things for others every single day. They are the dogs and people of my world, and they have made this book come to life. I have so many of them to thank.

First, my wonderful wife, Cherilyn, on this road with me, the person who has taught me so much about life and about myself and my dogs and the great things that they can do and that we can do together.

My dogs, Teigh and Belle—God rest their orange-and-white souls—and Angel and Grace, who are carrying on for them.

The breeders who brought these four-legged angels into my life: Jeane White, Patty Kanan, Cindy Huggins, Linda McCartney-Roy, and Kristyn McCartney; the veterinarians who have cared for them: Dr. Jean Dodds, Dr. Meghan Myott, Dr. Jamie Warren, Dr. Nicole Buote, Dr. Janet Kovak, Dr. Cara Horowitz, and a bunch of others at the Animal Medical Center; and the people who help us care for them daily (dog walkers and dog sitters): Emily Key, Althea Alvarez, Maria Angeles, Doug Tighe, and my in-laws, Emily and Lyle Smith.

Christi Dudzik, my mentor in therapy dog work, my vice chairman of the Angel On A Leash board, and, more importantly, my friend; and my special friends Wayne Ferguson, Larry Leib, Tom Lasley, Ranny Green, and Chris Terrell, always there for me.

Those very special Westminster Best in Show dogs, Uno, James, and Rufus, and their owners, Caroline Dowell, Terry Patton, and Tom and Barbara Bishop; also, Ceil Ruggles, Scott Sommer, Eddie Dziuk, Dan Huebner, and Aaron Wilkerson.

My leaders and colleagues at the Westminster Kennel Club: Peter Van Brunt, Tom Bradley, Chet Collier, Florence Foti, Kelly Rounds, Billy Mott, Linda Duane, and Sharon Fremer.

All of the Angel On A Leash people: Greer Griffith, Christine DeAcetis, Nancy George-Michalson, Mary Ehrhart, Stephanie LaFarge, Chuck Bessant, Richard Dienst, Barbara Babikian, Caroline Loevner, Gay Cropper, and all of the teams that visit in our facilities; and great Angel supporters Karen LeFrak, Susan Stone, Ann Howie, Val Diker, Ruth Pereira, Joe Yanek, Ron Trotta and Elly McGuire, Kristina Newman, Eric Gural, Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton, Michele Siegel, Dr. Race Foster and Dr. Marty Smith, Gordon Magee, Mary Bloom, Toni Millar, Maggie Butterfield, Catherine DiPasquale, Peggy Schunk, Bill Sullivan, Jim Murray, Wendy Gallart, Frank Kelley, Jane Hedal-Siegel, Aimee Bench, Jeannie Schultz, Melissa Menta, Rana Komar, Steve Dale, and Bernard Clair.

Everyone at NBC Universal who is involved with the production of the Westminster and National Dog Shows: Jon Miller, Kevin Monaghan, Gordon Beck, Steve Griffith, Joe Garagiola, Mary Carillo, John O'Hurley; and Candy Caciolo and Ann Viklund of Purina.

Monsignor Thomas Modugno of St. Monica's and Father Ray Nobiletti and Linda Woo of Transfiguration Church and School.

My
Angel By My Side
family: Mike and Nancy Lingenfelter, Dakota, and Ogilvie.

Delta Society, past and present: Mal Schwartz, Dr. Gregg Takashima and the board, Dr. Bill McCulloch, Maureen MacNamara, Lynnette Eastlake, Linda Hines, Jon Eastlake, Sophie Engelhard Craighead, Megan Wolfe, Carol Cullum, and all of the very special Pet Partner teams.