Meet | Bios

Barcklee is a 3-year-old Yorkshire terrier. Most standard Yorkies weigh 7 lbs. As Barcklee weighs more than that, he is considered a giant Yorkie. His birthday is May 23rd. His name is an acronym created by combining the first letters in my grandchildren’s names and my name. He lives with a very tolerant cat, Misty. He is a very affectionate dog who will choose a lap over his bed. Chewing paper, toilet paper, dollar bills and socks are his favorite pastimes. "Puppy treats" are never turned down. Bananas have become a favorite. He gets very excited when visiting with children. He likes all kinds of toys. I call him my little shadow as wherever I am, he is. A true companion dog.

Barley was our "foster fail" from LEARN, an organization that specializes in lab rescues. He was found in a ditch in TX, and brought to WI on a cold and snowy February day when he was about 9 weeks old. We thought he was full lab, but he never grew past 48 pounds, and he has long, soft hair that gets curly in the winter. Any guesses? I knew he'd make a good therapy dog when he showed little to no fear of people, and his sweet, loving, playful personality continued to develop. Barley likes to go for runs, walks, swim, kayak, and chase the 4-wheeler, but most of all, he loves to snuggle and sleep. He currently works with me in my classroom at Brodhead High School. He has about 300 friends who he visits 2-3 times a week. He prefers to work in a spacious, moderately quiet, peaceful environment. When Barley's not at school, you can find him being a loyal farm dog at our home in Brodhead, WI, or "working" at Cardinal Car Wash.

Mr. Beckett is our 6-year-old Teddy Bear. Since he was nearly 12 weeks old, we started to acclimate him to come to our chiropractic office. It was a year of training for him to be completely certified as a Therapy Dog. We tell our patients he has an old soul as he is very calm and quiet while working. He is so comfortable when he is at work laying wherever it pleases him. He will get up and sit next to the patients who seem to need some calming and other people he won't even move for. His favorite activities are doing anything with his family, car rides, riding in a stroller with me on runs, or sitting and relaxing. Beckett’s work life consists of about 20 hours per week working at Stuckey Family Chiropractic in Janesville.

Greetings I was born 8/27/2023 and I am a Standard Poodle that often has a variety of haircuts so I don't always look like my breed. I became a Certified Therapy Dog on my first birthday. I enjoy being outdoors and on new adventures. I am happy to give kisses to anyone who comes down to my height. I love all people, especially children as well as other dogs. I look forward to meeting you.

Bio for Cash is in progress.

Casper is a Golden Retriever born in 2022. His cream-colored coat reflects his English Cream heritage—a lighter shade of the traditional American Golden Retriever that comes from European bloodlines. He’s titled in Canine Good Citizen (CGC), CGC Advanced, CGC Urban, Novice Obedience, STAR Puppy, plus classes in Fit Dog, Tricks, Novice Rally, Novice Agility, Farm Dog, Hoops, Bomb Proof, and weekly intermediate Obedience drop-in sessions.

Casper is a happy, friendly soul who loves people and playing with other dogs. He’s always excited to meet new people in our Therapy Dog visits. Currently, we participate in regularly scheduled senior housing and nursing home visits. We’ve also participated in library visits and public events. We look forward to participating with SWCTDA in other opportunities where Therapy Dogs can provide comfort to people who appreciate sharing in the love only a wonderful dog spirit like Casper can give!

Coco is a golden retriever born in July of 2022, and adopted by our family in September of that year. We love how snuggly and calm she is. Coco has taken classes through Southern WI Canine Therapy Dog Association, where she earned her Therapy Dog certification. There is a big personality within this sweet gentle dog. She loves long walks, belly rubs, holding hands, visiting people and making new friends, young and old.

After a career in entertainment, teaching, and costuming, I retired and welcomed Coda, my Standard Poodle. We began training during Covid, earning her AKC CGC, CGCA, and two Trick Dog titles. In 2020, at just a year old, Coda became a therapy dog, and we joined the Janesville Beloit Kennel Club and the Kennel Club of Fort Atkinson. I now serve as Membership/Outreach chair at JBKC, President at KCFA, and train dogs for both clubs. Therapy and outreach are our greatest joy, but Coda and I have also earned more than thirteen AKC titles in events like Barn Hunt, Rally Obedience, Trick Dog, and Fetch. Beyond competition, we love camping, hiking, and kayaking together. We’re excited to add SWCTDA to our busy, rewarding journey and look forward to meeting everyone.

She was born on July 31, 2021. She lives with Stacey and Tom Speich. She has a younger sister who is also a Golden Retriever, and she enjoys snuggling and playing with her sister. Ellie May spends her time going camping with her family and loves to explore new places and meet new people on her adventures. She is obsessed with tennis balls and loves to play scent games. Her favorite past time is participating in classes through the Janesville Beloit Kennel Club. She particularly enjoys doing agility and barn hunt. Ellie May has participated in numerous obedience classes, canine good citizen, bomb proof, and various other classes where she enjoys being around other dogs and people. Of all the things that Ellie May participates in she seems to enjoy going to nursing homes and greeting the residents the most. She is always described as a sweet girl with big brown eyes. Ellie May is looking forward to meeting more people through her work at the Southern Wisconsin Canine Association and hopes to bring joy to everyone she crosses paths with.

Hi, my name is Finn and my mom’s name is Mary. After the loss of her daughter Lora to cancer in 2020, Mom was overcome with grief and felt no purpose or belonging. In 2022, while looking at Bernedoodle puppies online, she felt joy again. Through a series of events she believed guided by Lora, Mom was shown pictures of me and my brothers. When she saw me, she knew I was meant for her. With some nudging, Mom’s wife Dee agreed to welcome me home. When I first met Mom, I touched her hand with my nose to let her know I was here to help. Lora knew Mom needed me to love and care for to ease her sorrow. Now, as a therapy team, Mom and I hope to bring healing by helping others. We are grateful to the Southern Wisconsin Canine Therapy Dog Association for this opportunity and for the love and support we’ve received.

Murphy was born 11/28/21 in Missouri, he is an English Labrador Retriever. His nickname is “BIG MURPH”. He loves swimming, his blanket, squeaky toys, playing with other dogs and people. As a therapy dog he loves spending time with children and getting love and pets from anyone.

I am a 2-year-old Golden Doodle (mostly Golden with a little Doodle). I have so much energy that I require two handlers (Deb and Terry), which allows me to go to a variety of places. My favorite things in the world are playing fetch, swimming, and going for car rides. I don't care where we go, I just want to go! I also love a lot of attention and will paw at you if you are not paying enough attention to me. I look forward to meeting a lot of new people and dogs!

Odin is a cream-colored labradoodle who loves everyone. He's never met someone who doesn't adore him, and he gets along well with other dogs too. His favorite things in the world are balls, treats, and meeting people. He can't wait to meet you!

Peanut is a sweet and affectionate five-year-old Golden Retriever. She has been certified as a therapy dog since 2021 and has spent most of her therapy days at Edison Middle School in Janesville. Peanut enjoys traveling, especially to Upper Michigan, swimming, playing fetch, and hiking. She loves being around people of all ages but seems to have a special understanding and connection to young adolescents.

Rita is a rehomed 7-year-old double golden doodle. I thought I would never get another dog after my beloved Zeke died, but it was love at first sight when Rita hopped on my lap, gave me a kiss and put her head on my shoulder. She is a gentle, affectionate dog who LOVES people of all ages, with babies being her specialty. They adore her! I formally adopted Rita after 4 months. We began our journey to becoming a therapy dog team. I have been a member of SWTDA since day 1. I really missed helping others with a therapy dog. We went to the Janesville/Beloit Kennel Club for basic obedience to see what she knew. She flew through K9 Good Citizen, Advanced Good Citizen and Urban Dog Classes. Rita’s favorite place is going to coffee with my friends. She also likes Home Depot and Farm & Fleet. Since we just recently certified, we are building her “friend list”. The Beloit Public Library is excited to work with her. I’m meeting with two different churches to work out a plan to visit them. During Rita’s spare time, she’s a great napper. She loves going on visits and out for walks.

River has a contagious personality wrapped up in a big fluffy body. He's made many friends since starting Therapy Dog school and loves meeting new people and dogs. Since he was a puppy, River has always wanted to be the center of attention and becoming a therapy dog has gifted him the opportunity to be just that. River and I enjoy working in a variety of different environments; nursing homes, assisted living centers, the Rock County Juvenile Center, and many others. When not doing his therapy dog duties, River enjoys wrestling with his big sister CC, playing with a tennis ball (and not bringing it back), and chasing squirrels in his backyard. I work a full-time job in Merchandising and spend my evenings and weekends being involved in the community and our association. We hope to get in with other organizations soon to help a variety of other people in need of Therapy Dog Support

Hi, I'm River! I started my journey as a playful young pup near Juda, where I loved chasing cattle and horses alongside my mom and dad. On January 8, 2023, my life took a wonderful turn—I was adopted! Born on September 22, 2022, I soon found myself exploring town with my new mom, embracing every adventure that came my way. Now, my favorite pastimes include chasing squirrels and digging up pesky moles. When it comes to food, I’m not picky—I love whatever my mom is eating! Lucky for me, she makes special homemade meals with fresh meat and veggies, just for me.

Hi, my name is Rocco! I live on a horse farm with my pawrents. I am a Cane Corso, around 130lbs. My Birthday is June 12th, 2022, and I like to celebrate it with all my friends. I have a lot of friends – humans of all ages, cats, dogs, chickens, and equine! I always want to make more friends. I know I can look intimidating, but I have always had a sweet disposition. I am the definition of a gentle giant. My pawrents and trainer have taught me to continue to be kind and thoughtful of others. I take treats gently and I love to soak in all the affection I can get. When I’m not keeping watch over the farm, I’m going for walks and watching tv with my dad. I also enjoy going to visit retirement centers, juvenile centers, and hospitals, and love to take my pawrents shopping in various stores. I love visiting new places. I look forward to every adventure. Love and God Bless, Rocco

The bio for Rooster is in progress.

Hi. I’m Skye, an energetic and affectionate Golden Retriever certified as a therapy dog. I have completed extensive training in obedience and socialization which allows my effervescent personality to shine when meeting people of all ages. I love to travel with my family especially if it involves training of any kind. I enjoy playing fetch, swimming, dock diving and competing in K9 scent detection sports when not bringing smiles and comfort to everyone I meet. I particularly love to make people smile with my tricks. It would be a pleasure to meet you!

Hello, my name is Tarza Jane. I am a one-year-old German Shepherd. I came into the world February 22, 2023 and my family took me in as a foster child. After having me for a month, I won them over with the way I am so obedient and love to please them that they couldn’t resist keeping me as their own. That’s what they call a foster fail! But that’s not a bad thing, my mom and I bonded so much that I had to stay in her life. I spend a lot of time on the farm with my brother, Rocco, who is also a therapy dog. I also have an elderly sister that is a Catahoula/Border Collie mix. I like to go visit my friends in nursing homes, jail, and in the hospital. I am very comfortable in many other settings because my favorite job is making people smile. Thanks for listening. Paw paw for now! Tarza

Tug's bio is in Progress.

I am a young adult mixed breed. Most people think I am a lab, but according to my DNA, I am mostly German Shepherd. While I appear aloof to most, I love meeting new people and crave constant attention. I get along with people of all ages and have visited a variety of places, including colleges, libraries, k-12 schools, hospitals, nursing homes and even the jail for juveniles. As long as there are people willing to pet me, I am happy. I forget sometimes that I only have one eye, but it is a topic of conversation everywhere I go. I lost my eye due to glaucoma when I was 2; having only one eye does not limit me at all and does not prevent me from getting into trouble!

Vacant