He’s a very good boy: Bernie the Service Dog is a model employee

By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus

A model employee is lifting morale and bringing smiles to area nursing home residents and physical therapy patients around the Shoals with his infectious grin and loving nature.

That star employee stands about two-and-a-half feet tall on four paws and answers to the name Bernie.

Now, at the age of two, Bernie is close to achieving his Canine Good Citizenship Certification, which will bring him a step closer to the official title of therapy dog. That certification will also grant Bernie access to more facilities and allow him to help more people in his community, according to his handler Amanda Simpson.

Simpson and Bernie found one another when the pup was just three months old. The Bernedoodle — a dog breed that is a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Standard Poodle — had been donated by a local breeder to The Renaissance of Florence, where Simpson serves as the community sales director.

“When we first got him, we had initially decided that we were going to take turns taking him home,” Renaissance Executive Director Laura Fithian said. “We’d decided they would take him a week at a time, but our other person kind of fell through. She decided she didn’t want to take on a puppy.”

Since Simpson and her husband, Stan, already had two Doodles at home, they agreed to take Bernie in with them full-time. So, Bernie goes to work with Simpson most weeks, Monday through Friday, and returns home with her each night.

“Since he’s been coming into this building every day for a year and seven months, it’s like this is home,” Simpson said. “If we don’t go to work, he’s standing at the door, looking at me, going, ‘What are you doing? Why aren’t we going anywhere?’”

Simpson said Bernie’s second home at The Renaissance has been the perfect setting for his training since he will primarily work with seniors.

Luckily, in their search for a canine trainer, Simpson said they found Dari Sharp of Sharp K9 Academy in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, who was willing to make the drive to Florence for regular sessions. It’s an arrangement that has allowed them to personalize Bernie’s unique learning experience.

“It’s kind of funny. We’ve had to modify a lot of the (commands),” Simpson said. “There are so many things that we couldn’t have Bernie do, like ‘shake.’ We’ve never taught him to do that because he’s typically working with people who have fragile skin. He paws on us, but he knows to never offer a paw to a resident.”

Unlike most playful companions, Bernie has also been taught to ignore tennis balls since they are commonly found on the feet of walkers used by elderly patients and residents.

“Everything in this building is a learning tool for him,” Simpson said. “The residents are also involved in his training. They can set up scenarios for us to make sure that he’s holding a ‘stay’ position even if someone comes up and tries to engage with him.”

She said Bernie also trains out in public, so he learns how to interact with other animals and strangers when he’s not at his workplace.

Though he’s been taught not to react to other animals, Simpson said that has proven the hardest concept for him to learn. She suspects it has something to do with all the playmates Bernie has back at The Renaissance since residents there are allowed to keep pets of their own.

“We have four or five cats and three dogs,” she said. “He’s so used to this community, whenever he does see another pet, he’s like, ‘Oh boy! Let’s play!’ So, we’re still working on that one.”

Presently, Bernie accompanies some Renaissance residents to occupational or physical therapy at a handful of centers around Florence that accept his entry without the certification. Bernie has also been known to visit residents at Lauderdale Christian Nursing Home and Cedar View Assisted Living, both in Killen.

“He goes and makes friendly visits, and you should people’s eyes when they see him, because he’s so big,” Simpson said. “I think it’s strange for people to see a dog this size in an assisted living community, but it’s worked out. I mean, even with the hospital beds, he can go straight over to them and rest his head, and they can easily pet him and love on him. I think that’s brought me the most joy — being able to watch other people around him.”

Bernie has learned which residents offer the best pats at The Renaissance. While making his rounds in the community, he spotted Wyatt “Chip” Simpson Jr. — a resident and brother-in-law to Bernie’s handler — and plopped down between Chip’s chair and the wall.

“He leans against things because he knows I can push on him. He likes a hard pet,” Chip said as he messaged Bernie’s back. “If I get too close to him, he might lick me in the face. He’s trained to stay beside me.”

Amanda Simpson said most of the residents know all about Bernie’s training. They know not to encourage any bad habits or unwanted behavior.

“I wish he could stay in my room,” Chip chimed back in. “I think he’s great. He really does run this place. Anything that gets done around here has to be cleared through Bernie.”

The Simpsons and Fithian joked that Bernie’s actual title should be assistant marketing director.

“We’ve had so many people move in here because of Bernie,” Fithian said. “So, he really has been such a wonderful marketing tool. They just adore him. He’s such a good boy. He’s a comfort to the residents and to visitors.”

Fithian and Amanda said Bernie is also comforting to staff members at The Renaissance. Several of Bernie’s employees nodded in agreement and said he motivates them throughout their workday.

“You know, when you’ve had a stressful day, or if you just have something going on in your personal life, you come to work a little excited because you just know Bernie is going to be there,” Fithian said. “It helps knowing he’s here to offer a big puppy hug.”