One of Kanzu’s jobs is working as a therapy dog. He visits many different types of facilities including retirement communities, libraries and schools. But his favorite venue is a local alternative school. One of the special things about this location is the small contained yard where he can walk and run and play with the kids. One young boy has become Kanzu’s very special friend. Dayvion was drawn to Kanzu immediately at their very first meeting. Kanzu has many tricks and behaviors that he will do on command for Linda. But he has never volunteered nor routinely performed these tricks for others. Dayvion wanted Kanzu to do his tricks for him when asked. So, he worked very hard with Linda to learn Kanzu’s special commands and hand signals. He also had to learn how to keep commands consistent and understandable and how to reward the behaviors Kanzu performed on command while not rewarding when Kanzu did not comply. There are so many lessons for everyone in this set of learnings. To Dayvion’s amazement and delight, after only a few short lessons Kanzu began to respond to Dayvion’s commands. Kanzu seemed very generous with his responses often responding to Dayvion’s requests even when his body language or commands were a little confusing. The end result has been a special bond that has provided many opportunities for learning and discussion. And Kanzu is a happy dog who got lots of love and treats while working.

For video of Kanzu and Davion Click Here