Episode Details

Therapy dogs don't just comfort humans — they also help us understand grief, resilience, and the kind of love that doesn't end when a heartbeat stops. Peggy Frezon writes books that honour the human-animal bond, runs a retirement home for senior golden retrievers, and has learned how to hold space for both joy and loss at the same time.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• What makes a dog suited to therapy work — and why it's about temperament, not breed or size
• How rescue dogs who've lived through trauma can become certified comfort dogs for people in crisis
• Why some dogs thrive on being petted by strangers in schools and hospitals, and others don't
• What therapy dogs actually do in courtrooms, libraries, tax offices, and classrooms after tragedy
• How loving senior dogs — and losing them — can teach us something essential about grief
• Why getting another dog after loss isn't about replacement, but finding a new place for your love to go
• How people who can't bear to adopt again still find ways to stay connected to dogs

A FAVOURITE MOMENT

"He's 11, Mike. He's gonna break our hearts. But my husband just said, 'He needs us.'" — Peggy

ABOUT PEGGY FREZON

Peggy Frezon is a contributing editor for Guideposts and Angels on Earth magazines, and the author of several books exploring the bond between people and animals. She and her husband run BrooksHaven, a forever retirement home for senior golden retrievers in upstate New York. Her latest book, Goodbye to a Good Dog, is a guide for anyone navigating the grief of losing a beloved animal. Peggy also volunteers as a therapy dog handler, taking her dogs into schools, hospitals, and community spaces where comfort is needed most.

CONNECT WITH PEGGY FREZON

Website: peggyfrezon.com
Facebook: facebook.com/PeggyFrezonBooks

CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS

To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit soultouchedbydogs.com