Our Dogs at Home and in the Community

*Please send any photos you’d like to put up of your dogs to us here

Not everything happens on a training field (despite what the dogs might tell you). This page is dedicated to what they get up to when they’re “off duty” – from backyard zoomies to couch patrol and everything in between. Warning: may contain high levels of personality, chaos, and the occasional stolen sock

Trish & Penny’s Community Work

Special Mention

Penny is a VCA accredited Aged Care Therapy Dog

Below is some correspondence sent to the branch about Trish and Penny

“In for a Penny, In for a pound”

Penny is the star of BUPA Eastwood Aged Care ‘Pet Therapy’ program. Trish, (Penny’s owner) and Penny are a much valued part of Eastwood’s volunteer program. Penny is a beautiful, gentle and wonderfully behaved German Shepherd who has made a world of difference to the lives of many of our residents. Penny seems to have the happy knack of relating to every resident she meets.

Like so many of our band of volunteers, Penny participates in much of the fun that is a large part of aged care.She stole the show last Christmas when she arrived dressed up as a reindeer, looking splendid in matching red and white pants and coat, and sporting a set of antlers that would have turned Rudolf’s nose green with envy.

Every Tuesday, Penny and Trish come to our indoor bowls activity. When Trish was asked if she thought Penny knew when it was Tuesday, she said “Most definately, she comes to check out the scores”

During her visits, Penny interacts with both residents and staff. When she visits our dementia residents, their faces light up with absolute joy, even if they are having a bad day. Penny has the uncanny knack of seeking out our most frail and vulnerable residents and spends quality time with them.

(By Dawn Sulley- Lifestyle Coordinator at BUPA Eastwood Community Aged Care Facility)

Kali: The Dog Who Made the World a Kinder Place

Jayshell Cloe R.A E.T

“Kali”

Kali (Jayshell Chloe R.A E.T) was a treasured member of the Gippsland Branch for 12 years. Anyone who was lucky enough to meet Kali instantly knew there was something special about her. There is no doubt that Kali’s community work changed lives. Whether working in schools as a Story dog, or at hospitals and community centers as an accredited Therapy Dog, Kali inspired people to achieve more than they thought they ever could. For most people Kali had a way of making their worst day just that little bit better just by being there.

At the Gippsland branch Kali worked with her best friend Ryan, a younger member who has Down’s Syndrome and loved nothing more on a Saturday morning than to come to dog club and train Kali – with a bit of help from Sharyn. Ryan’s confidence grew so much as a result of the work he did with Kali Whenever the Gippsland branch was involved in a public event, Kali was there front and center representing the breed in the best possible way.

Away from the GSDCV Kali attended a local school as part of a program helping children learn to read. She would lay there calmly and listen as children of all ages would practice their reading skills and talk to her. Without Kali’s support, some of these children may not have had the confidence to learn and improve the reading and coping skills that are so important throughout any person’s life. Kali also attended the Latrobe Regional Hospital every week to visit people who were in hospital for in both the emergency department and on the wards. People who were having what could have been the worst day of their lives always sparked up as soon as Kali entered the room, their bad day had just been made a bit less stressful by a visit from Kali. During the Black Summer Bushfires Sharyn took Kali to a relief centre where people were being evacuated to, as people arrived not knowing what the future held, Kali was waiting for them, her calm and caring personality just what they needed to give them hope that everything would be ok. There was so many other things that Kali was involved in including raising money for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, representing the Dogs Victoria Therapy Dogs program at the Victorian Parliament House, helping Medical Students learn the value of therapy dogs in the treatment and recovery of seriously ill patients and so much more.

Kali’s work in the community was rewarded on Australia Day when she was named the Australian Dog of the Year for 2024. Many dogs were entered in the competition, but Kali was the obvious choice.

Sadly, Kali passed away in 2024 with Sharyn by her side. We know that life will never be the same for Sharyn as Kali’s owner, but she can take comfort in the knowledge that Kali’s legacy will live on in all the people she has helped through good times and bad, and also in her friend Leiha who follows in her footsteps as a therapy dog, story dog, and representative of the German Shepherd Dog everywhere she goes.

There will never be another Kali, that we know for sure. But we all know how lucky we are to have been part of her journey helping everyone she met along the way.