If your Berner is genuinely interested in meeting new people, and adapts well to situations that may be out of the ordinary, therapy work can be very rewarding. I take Raven to work with me one day a week and she visits on the inpatient mental health unit. Often these folks cannot have dogs because of limited personal resources or because they are in housing that does not allow dogs, and even brief dog visits are a hit with them. I also use her carting skills and we sometimes give cart rides to the children at the local Shriners Hospital. I don't know what your birds are like, but you may want to look into getting one or both of them certified as therapy animals as well. Raven and I belong to Intermountain Therapy Animals and I know we have at least one member who uses her large birds--I think a Macaw and a Cockatoo--for therapy work. You might want to check the website for info: www.therapyanimals.org Thanks for wanting to share the blessings of your dog with others. Vicky Hall in Utah
