Preface by Kathleen: It is my honor to present this interview with Christina Rohla, Guide Dog trainer in San Rafael, California. I had the privilege of teaching Reiki I to a group of Guide Dog staff (see picture) and have enjoyed watching the Reiki program take flight, bringing healing to their work.

Kathleen: For people who are new to Guide Dogs, can you describe the different stages of life and training each Guide Dog goes through?

Christina: There are several transitions that our dogs go through. They are born on campus and at 8 weeks old they go to volunteer puppy raising families. At 14-16 months they come back to campus for 5 months of training. They have to adjust to kennel life and form a new relationship with their trainer. This transition can be stressful for some dogs, and is why we incorporate Reiki: to reduce this stress. At the end of the training period, they become part of a group of dogs assigned to blind clients and are in class with their new handlers for up to four weeks, thus forming another new relationship. After graduation with their handler, they go home and adjust to yet another environment. Being able to offer Reiki to the dogs through some of these transitions can be a great help toward their ultimate success as a Guide Dog.

Kathleen: What is your training department responsible for in each dog's journey?

Christina: The training department is both directly and indirectly involved in all aspects of the dogs' lives. We are most directly involved when the dogs come back in for training and when the clients come to train with their dogs.

Kathleen: What kind of enrichment/healing methods do you offer dogs in training?

Christina: Dogs receive the holistic healing therapies of Reiki and T-touch. We also provide enrichment activities such as ice cubes, food-stuffed kongs, classical music, play structures, bedding (fleece pads, crates, platforms), K9 cuddling, scent enrichment, novel toys and toy day.

Kathleen: How have you incorporated Reiki into the dogs' training schedules?

Christina: There are 11 staff members currently certified to do Reiki with the dogs. Staff members set aside several hours a week for dogs identified as good candidates for Reiki. One person from each kennel identifies dogs who would benefit from Reiki, and the Reiki Coordinator adds their name to the list. A laminated card is then placed on the dogs' runs so they are easily identified for any staff member who visits the kennel to practice Reiki. All sessions are documented and logged in the computer, so we can keep track of who has received Reiki, how they responded, etc. Sessions can be held in a quiet area outside the kennel, used during body checks, and also used during quiet time. Sometimes the results can be very subtle, other times quite dramatic. Reiki has shown to be very effective in helping the dogs' ability to adjust to the kennel environment. It has helped with dogs that may be resistant to body handling as well as dogs that have difficulty settling down by giving them a chance to achieve a deeper level of relaxation and trust that they otherwise may not experience. Reiki has truly been a wonderful addition to our enrichment program and the more we use it the more we see its benefits.