2 year old Eli Arding gives Max a hug -photos 250news

Prince George, B.C. – Prince George RCMP  Victim Services Therapy Dog, Max and two new recruits in training, Yogi and Henry  were  hugged, patted and snuggled with  by some  members of the Prince George community this afternoon.

This is Assistance Animal day,  and the three pooches  were  front and centre for a meet and greet at the Prince George RCMP  Detachment this afternoon.

Henry, a Schnauzer/Shitzu  cross  and Yogi, a  pure bred Pug,  are in training to become therapy dogs  and today’s event was  just as much a training exercise for them as it was a chance for the public  to meet the dogs which are used  to  calm  those  in need. 

Max is the  largest of the three,  a lab cross, he has already  played a role in the Prince George Courthouse being the calming factor for  those who are called upon to testify.

Yogi ( top right) and Henry ( bottom right) still have a long way to go before they can be  used  for those  situations. Trainer and Therapy Dog  Coordinator Krista Levar says  she is working with the two smaller dogs with hopes they can  pass the  tests and be used in situations where  a small dog may be better suited, partly because they are “a little more portable”.

The new recruits were  put head to head in an ice cream eating contest,  and, well it was no contest at all , as Yogi  took a couple of licks and  backed off the  cool vanilla scoop in his bowl.  Henry licked his bowl clean.

There was no shortage of pats and hugs  for the pooches,  as  below, 2 1/2 year old Ephraim Stewart  gives Yogi a pat.