Bubby the Therapy Dog

Bubby had a rough life before he ended up at the Summit County Humane Society. His original "humans" owned him for the sole purpose of training him to fight. His breed, Cane Corso, is typically used for protection or fighting for money. Bubby didn't take to fighting so they just let him starve. He was found staked outside on very short chain—hungry, scared, and cold.

He was adopted by a loving family in Copley, Ohio. With much love and affection and positive reinforcement, Bubby now spends his weekdays as a therapy dog.

Bubby's new human is a special education teacher and has incorporated Bubby as a therapy dog in her classroom of preschool kids (3-5 years old) with severe behavior disorders. These kids come from backgrounds of severe physical, mentaland sexual abuse in addition to early onset of mental illness, genetic disorders, drug and alcohol exposure during mom's pregnancy, etc. Their behavior is so extreme they have been removed from several daycare centers or preschools in the community. So this class is a last resort. They kick, hit, punch, scratch, bite, spit, scream, throw chairs, tables puzzles, crayons, blocks, cuss like a Marine—all before the age of 3.

The kids sit and stroke Bubby or lay their head on his back, let him sniff them, bear hug their arms around him, pat his head, touch his teeth, touch his nose or toes, just investigating his body asking information about him.

Bubby's presence has helped calm the atmosphere of the room and teaches the kids how to touch in a gentle way— giving them a sense of ownership they have never experienced—letting them feel like "something" will be here when they come back another day because their lives are so transient. Bubby gives them unconditional love!!