Certification
Therapy Dog Team
Alliance of Therapy Dogs, 2021
Self-reported
All professionals
Therapy dog visits in South Orange
Helen Fisher
Therapy dog visits and Cooking lessons: Therapy dog visits with a calm collie
Retired schoolteacher who visits with her gentle collie Maisie and often bakes a batch of scones too
- 5.0 from 6 reviews
- Lives in South Orange
- All five checks passed
Ask a question before you book. Contact details stay private.
Credentials
Certification
AKC Canine Good Citizen (Maisie)
American Kennel Club, 2020
Self-reported
Professional experience
Elementary school teacher, 31 years
South Orange-Maplewood School District, 1988 to 2019
Self-reported
About me
I taught fourth grade at Marshall School in South Orange for thirty-one years. Maisie, my rough collie, came into my life the year I retired, and after a long stretch of training we were registered as a therapy dog team in 2021.
Maisie is six, very soft, and happy to rest her head on a lap for as long as anyone likes. On a typical visit she says hello, we practice a few of her tricks together, and you can brush her if you enjoy that. I bring her mat, her water bowl and a lint roller for afterward. She has met plenty of people who were a little nervous around dogs, and she is very good at waiting.
I am also a lifelong baker, and some families ask me to stay on and teach a recipe. Irish soda bread and lemon scones are the usual favorites. Maisie and I walk the loop at Grove Park most mornings, rain or shine.
What a first visit looks like
- 1
Minute 0 to 5
I come in first to set down Maisie's mat and water bowl, then bring her in on a short leash.
- 2
Minute 5 to 20
Maisie says hello and settles beside your chair so you can pet her at your own pace.
- 3
Minute 20 to 35
We try a few of her tricks together, like shake, spin and touch, using small treats I bring.
- 4
Minute 35 to 50
Quiet time with the brush while we chat about pets you have had over the years.
- 5
Minute 50 to 60
We say goodbye and I note which day works best for her next visit.
What to have ready
Nothing to buy before the first visit
- A comfortable chair
- Room for a small mat
- Pets in another room
- A towel on rainy days
Where Helen goes
- South OrangeLives here
- Bloomfield
- Maplewood
- Millburn
- North Caldwell
- Roseland
- Short Hills
Where in the home
Living roomAnywhere with a chair
Usual week
Mon
9am
to 1pmTue
Off
Wed
9am
to 1pmThu
Off
Fri
9am
to 1pmSat
Off
Sun
Off
What families say
“The best hour of my father's week.”
Luis M.
“Booked it as a gift for my grandmother. She keeps asking for more.”
Linda M.
“Dad asked me twice when the next one was. That never happens.”
Mark J.
“My mother says it is the best part of her Tuesday.”
Robert N.
“Dad told his brother about it on the phone. That is a five star review from him.”
Ellen F.
“Mom actually set the table early for this.”
Tanya T.
Checked and vetted
- Online search
- A real conversation with our team
- Signed provider agreement
- Criminal background check
- National sex offender registry check
$70 per hour
Plus a $2.50 booking fee and 10% service fee.
Free cancellation up to 3 days before.