Joey and Marz
As I pulled into the parking lot with my Doberman, Marz, I had mixed feelings of anticipation and apprehension about our new assignment. I had been told that Joey, the child we were about to see, had been severely abused and refused to talk about what had been done to him by the adults he trusted and loved. He was so “shut down” that his future prospects for a new adoptive family were dubious at best.
When we entered the room, Joey looked us over but said nothing. He paid no attention to the therapist but soon began to interact with Marz. He pretended that he was a dog, crawling, barking at Marz, and inviting her to play. He pretended to drink from her water dish and eat her treats, and chased her toys. Marz got right into this game and joined in the fun. Joey spoke only in occasional monosyllables and would not answer the therapist when she spoke to him. So went our first hour together.
Our visit the following week had the most unexpected results. A few minutes into the session, Joey asked his therapist to leave the room (she complied, but went to observe from a two-way mirror in the next room). He asked me to go around the corner of the L-shaped room so that I was out of sight, which I did. For a moment I was unsure of his intentions, but I soon heard him talking to Marz. I peeked around the corner and saw Joey sitting with his arm around my dog, pouring out his heart. Marz sat still and appeared to be listening. What he said to her was wrenching and significant. He trusted this dog when he would trust no one else, and told her things that he had been unwilling to tell anyone else. Joey's therapist heard what he told Marz and was finally able to put the pieces together about what this little boy had endured from his family, and from that point Joey began to change in positive ways.
Marz' time with Joey was short, because after a few weeks it was determined that Joey might do better with a younger, more active dog. In the months that followed, Joey had made remarkable progress in the company of Max, a delightful border collie—so much so that he is now being considered for adoption. A significant breakthrough became possible for this little boy when a dog was introduced into his therapy. His progress was certainly enhanced by his trust in an animal, which he is now capable of transferring to other humans in his life.