Sawyer and Handler Teri

Regional Area: Central

Breed: Golden Retriever

Sweet Sawyer is sociability paws-onified!
Sawyer and Teri’s roster is rewardingly filled with visits to School for Autistic children, Church with Special Needs Young Adults, Forest Lake Academy, Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, Assisted living and Memory Care, National Healthcare Coalition, Give Kids The World, The Gingerbread Run at GKTW and Care Day at Universal Studios.

Lighting up like sunshine at the sight of children, Sawyer LOVES GKTW (it’s one of his favorite places to visit) and seems to know which kids need his own love the most. He not only loves the hugs they lavish on him, he typically lies down and either allows them to lie on him or rub his belly. Teri herself especially enjoys these visits, and witnessing how excited the families become when they see the Therapy dogs truly warms her heart.

High on Sawyer’s list of priorities is visiting Teri’s mother-in-law, who, at 93, is in an Assisted Living Facility. Teri lets him off leash on the second floor when no one’s around and tells him to “find Grandma.” And he does! He knows exactly where her apartment is and seeing Sawyer is truly the highlight of her day.

“Off the clock,” Sawyer and Teri go to an indoor Agility Course, allowing him to blow off steam and just be a dog. An avid swimmer, Sawyer adores both the beach and the family pool, and loves inviting his doggy friends over to play and swim with him.

Endlessly endearing, Sawyer melts his mom’s heart with his large, luminous puppylike eyes. Then there’s his penchant for stealing dish towels, shoes and socks, refusing to give them back, resulting in a game of chase and catch. Despite the fact that he
understands “no pool,” as soon as Teri turns her back, he’s in the pool. To make matters worse, he rolls around in the dirt, soaking wet, and goes back into the pool!

Whenever someone’s in the middle of the pool, Sawyer, who sees himself as a lifeguard, insists on swimming out to them, grabbing onto whatever float they’re using and bringing them back to the steps – and to safety!

As for this team’s future plans: attending more events and visiting more schools.

Training/Certifications
Basic Manners
Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
Hearts of Gold Therapy Team

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