Canine Presence

Canine Presence offers specialized therapy programs for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, visiting nursing and rehabilitation centers, and services for adults with disabilities programs. They implement classroom programs focused on canine care and good canine citizen social skills, with additional emphasis on job skill development and integration of individual service plan (ISP) cross-functional objectives.

The primary goals of their visitations include reducing anxiety and stress, improving general well-being, increasing tactile contact, and improving socialization. Through “Hands On” Animal-Assisted Therapy, they aim to improve strength, range-of-motion, balance, memory, and speech functional abilities. They also offer job development programs covering canine care, dog walking, and Good Canine Citizen handling for job placement.

In addition to canine therapy, Canine Presence provides Music Therapy, which utilizes instrumental songs mixed with recorded nature sounds or traditional standards like “Over the Rainbow.” This program aims to provide group stimulus for relaxation and support social and emotional behavioral needs, including for dementia patients.

Canine Presence was started in 2016 by Bruce and Gale Cummings in southeastern Massachusetts. They are dedicated to providing community therapeutic services, focusing on Professional Pet Assisted Therapy (PPAT) and Music Therapy education. Bruce and Gale have been breeding Irish Terriers for over thirty years, providing foundational training for their therapy dogs, which are known for their health and temperament.

Their services include specialized therapy programs for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as visitations to nursing and rehabilitation centers. They also aim to offer quality of life comfort visitations to Hospice patients. Canine Presence helps facilitate socialization, reduce stress and anxiety, improve general well-being, and enhance communication and pre-vocational functional abilities.

Bruce brings a background in biotech/pharma and rehabilitation counseling, having worked at the Wrentham State School. Gale completed her PPAT internship in 2023. Their Irish Terriers, Jagger, Duke, and Wags, are credentialed therapy dogs with AKC Therapy Dog titles, demonstrating their intelligence and willingness to work with people.

Accomplishments

Canine Presence was founded in 2016 by Bruce and Gale Cummings. Gale Cummings completed her Professional Pet Assisted Therapy (PPAT) internship in the summer of 2023. Bruce Cummings completed his DJ PPAT program internship in 2016, which was a college-level community evening program, and previously worked as a Rehabilitation Counselor at the Wrentham State School.

Bruce and Gale have been breeding Irish Terriers for over thirty years, focusing on health and temperament. Their Irish Terriers have achieved notable recognition: Jagger and Duke both received their AKC Therapy Dog Advance titles in 2019, each having completed more than 100 visits. Wags received her AKC Therapy Dog title in 2019, having completed more than 50 visits and exceeding 100 visits.