The Cocker Spaniel enjoys being petted and snuggles up on her blanket in the lap of a girl in a wheelchair. Judy also has a disability: the dog has lost her eyesight. “That makes her senses all the more acute,” says her proud owner, Jutta Gaßmann. “She knows how to approach people—who she can nudge and who she shouldn’t. Outdoors, she’s naturally a bit slower. She perceives everything through her other senses—she smells more and hears differently. She’s always been sensitive and cuddly anyway.”

Judy is one of five Cocker Spaniels that Gaßmann takes with her when she visits care facilities. Since 2015, she has been visiting senior care homes and the organization “Intensivkinder Niedersachsen e. V.” “For the people there, the dogs are a welcome distraction from the daily grind,” says Gaßmann. “The children in intensive care especially love being able to snuggle into their fur.” Gaßmann is actually a trained legal and notary assistant. And she never really wanted a Cocker Spaniel. “But then I fell in love with one. I’ve been hooked ever since!” she says with a laugh.

When Judy (14) first came to her, she still had both eyes. She could tell from her behavior that something wasn’t right. Eventually, she also noticed that Judy’s eyes were protruding. Because of a tumor, one eye had to be removed first, and eventually the second one as well. “I struggled for a long time with whether to go through with it, and I felt terrible afterward,” Gaßmann said.

“But the doctors strongly advised it. And fortunately, the dog is coping well with it.” Two to four times a year, she visits Intensivkinder Niedersachsen e. V. with Judy. The organization hosts recreational gatherings attended by about ten children or young adults. Some have brain malformations, others are autistic or require mechanical ventilation. While their peers go to soccer practice or theater group on Saturdays, finding leisure activities is difficult for these children.

Caregivers Keep an Eye on Well-Being

“There are hardly any programs available for children, adolescents, and young adults with severe disabilities or who require care,” reports the association’s president, Anke Mill. “And we always need activities that can be done indoors. The children really enjoy the dog visits, though the caregivers naturally guide things a bit. They make sure no one is overwhelmed.”

When Gaßmann comes, she deliberately doesn’t bring a set schedule. “We take it as it comes: Is today more about cuddling? Or are there more kids who are a bit more mobile and want to do something active? It varies a lot. And the caregivers also keep an eye out to see if a child needs reassurance, if they should encourage them, or if the child would rather not participate.”

Judy is the heart of the troupe

From Bad Münder am Deister, the entrepreneur sometimes travels with her furry troupe as far as Bremen, Hamburg, or even Hanover. She brings along a cart full of props, but above all, a host of tricks and tricky challenges that need to be mastered. For example, they roll the dice together: If a six comes up, the dog gets a treat. More active teens can hold up a hoop for the dog to jump through.

Or everyone holds a parachute-like cloth together, with a treat lying on it: Together, they try to maneuver it through a hole in the middle down to the ground, where the dog is already eagerly waiting to finally pounce on it. “At the summer festival, the kids were allowed to hide small rewards inside little plush carrots,” Gaßmann explains. “Chopin then eagerly sought them out.” Chopin is only eight years old and the liveliest member of the “team.” Judy is left out of such tricks: she can’t perform tricks without her eyes. “But Judy is our heart,” explains Gaßmann. “For those who, above all, really need that heart.”

Exhibition Theme: Therapy & Activity