Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2017

135 / 202

PETS 15
T H E R A P Y
Walking into Realtor Ann Whalen’s office, I’m greeted
by Nimitz – a 4-and-a-half-year-old English cream golden
retriever with the kind of chocolate-brown eyes that make
you melt like a popsicle left on a Lowcountry dock. He
doesn’t bark, dart toward me or jump to make my acquain-
tance but rather saunters over to the door and gazes out the
window to calmly take in the sight of geese congregating by
a nearby pond. I can tell by his demeanor he’s enjoying the
view. While other dogs may have let out a howl and doused
the door with drool in an attempt to make their way out to
the feathered flock, he sits and stares – perhaps daydream-
ing of long rides in the family golf cart.
“He didn’t pass puppy training,” recalled Whalen, his
owner. “If the pack went left, he went right.”
Despite his rebel spirit – apparent from birth – Nimitz
has transformed into one of the top therapy dogs in the
region. On one occasion, he didn’t even flinch when faced
with the weight of a walker on top of his tender tail.
“You just have a purpose when you have a dog,” said
Whalen. “Nimitz is so loving. Keeping up with his schedule
and working can be a lot. Some days, he seems to be busier
than me.”
Whether he’s visiting folks at the senior center or leaving
neighbors in a state of glee, Nimitz’s very presence seems
to offer a sense of relief and tranquility. This therapy dog
even provides camaraderie for a cat, Meezer, that shares his
Awendaw home.
This summer, Nimitz will have the opportunity to play
alongside some truly exceptional kids at Camp Rise Above
– a program held at James Island County Park for those
dealing with everything from brain tumors to sickle cell
anemia. The camp is broken down into seven sessions of
two full days, each catering to a different group of campers
with a specific condition. Participants will stretch their cre-
ativity with arts and crafts and build strength in the water
with paddle boarding sessions. They will also get the oppor-
tunity to meet amazing canines like the endearing Nimitz.
“We are very excited about this opportunity,” said Wha-
len, who spent years working with children at a similar
sleep-away camp in North Carolina. “We hope to one day
get him into a program at MUSC Children’s Hospital.”
He already visits hospice every week and brings a bit
of cheer to patients and family members during the most
stressful times of their lives.
“He goes to each room and rests his head on the patient’s
bed,” said Whalen.
Recently, while visiting with an Alzheimer's patient, Nim-
itz’s presence jolted his memory. A veteran, the man became
lucid, carried on conversations and even commented on the
fact that Nimitz’s namesake was an esteemed fleet admiral
who fought in WW 11.
“When I put his therapy collar on, he is a totally different
dog,” said Whalen, who brings Nimitz to a refresher course
at Alpha Dog Training every six months. “He knows it’s
time to go to work.”