Regional Area: Central
Breed: Golden Retriever
Any day with Sunny in it is the sunniest of days!
Since Sunny loves children and especially enjoys when they read to him, he and his mom Shauna have been visiting local libraries the most. Recently, though, the team started going to Give Kids the World Village, and acting as ambassadors at such events as Pups and Pints in Celebration and Leu Gardens Dog Day.
One of Shauna’s favorite therapy visits was the first time she and Sunny went to Give Kids the World Village. The children are used to being around Therapy dogs and light up whenever they see them. As for Sunny: He instinctively knows who needs some sunshine in their lives and is only too happy to share it!
But what touched Shauna’s heart most was a recent visit she and Sunny paid to a local Ronald McDonald house. A mom and her four kids came over, but a few were cranky since it was well past their bedtime, and they chose not to interact with Sunny. The mom, more to herself than anyone in particular, said, “Okay, well, mommy wants some therapy,” and she buried herself in Sunny’s fur. Sunny was happy to oblige. Afterwards, she gave him a little kiss and told him, “Thank you so much. I needed that.”
At home, Sunny loves stuffed animals — the more the merrier – and his absolute favorites are lamb chops. An expert lizard hunter, he also loves chasing the ones in his family’s backyard. What he doesn’t love, however, is swimming. At the beach, he’s perfectly content to people watch from under the protective shade of an umbrella.
Famous for splooting, both at home and during therapy visits, Sunny is savvy enough to know that by stretching out on the floor, there’s much more of him to pet! Passionately protective, he derives the greatest pleasure out of escorting his two tiny humans to and from the school bus stop every day. His well-earned reward: he’s the unofficial school bus mascot and receives ample – and supremely satisfying — pets each morning and afternoon.
Training/Certifications
Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
Hearts of Gold Therapy Team
Watch our Hearts of Gold Therapy Teams in action: Hearts of Gold YouTube channel
To learn more about what to consider for joining our Hearts of Gold team, click here!
