Short but sweet, this episode of Dogs with Jobs was recorded in New York City, on the run up to Thanksgiving holiday.

Koa is a Rhodesian Ridgeback - not a breed you see in therapy work too often.

His owner, Andy Honda, is a Rhodesian Ridgeback fan, and chose Koa as a future running partner. They live a couple of blocks from Central Park in Manhattan, New York City.

Andy explains how Koa ended up working in the therapy field with Dogs with Jobs presenter, Kate Fairweather.

More about Koa's life and the book Andy mentions on Christmas in New York here.

Other therapy and wellbeing dog stories:
Baloo, the injured police dog turned award-winning wellbeing dog
Champ, the engagement dog working in child protection in the Victoria police in Australia
Sprout, the care home visitor
Mika, the support dog working in the UK's Metropolitan Police
Louis the hospital volunteer attends a veterans' support session
Mabel, emotional support worker in the fire service
Phantom, the secondary school reading assistant

Interested in therapy work with your dog?

These are just some of the orgnaisations – there are many others so please do research this wherever you are based.
Koa and Andy volunteer in New York City: The Good Dog Foundation
Therapy Dog organisations in the UK: Pets as Therapy, Therapy Dogs Nationwide
Patricia Bland of Pets as Therapy, the UK charity, explains what qualities she looks for in a therapy dog

Do you work your dog?

Or perhaps you know someone else who might like to come on the show?  I love all and any working dogs - and am always looking for dogs to come on the show. 

Get in touch with me, Kate, via team@shineradio.uk.

Find more dogs with interesting jobs. 

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025

 

Short but sweet, this episode of Dogs with Jobs was recorded in New York City, on the run up to Thanksgiving holiday.
Koa is a Rhodesian Ridgeback - not a breed you see in therapy work too often.
His owner, Andy Honda, is a Rhodesian Ridgeback fan, and chose Koa as a future running partner. They live a couple of blocks from Central Park in Manhattan, New York City.
Andy explains how Koa ended up working in the therapy field with Dogs with Jobs presenter, Kate Fairweather.
More about Koa's life and the book Andy mentions on Christmas in New York<a href="https://koasrufflife.com/">&nbsp;here.</a>
Other therapy and wellbeing dog stories:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/injured-police-dog-forges-award-winning-new-career?in_playlist=dogs-with-jobs">Baloo, the injured police dog turned award-winning wellbeing dog</a></li>
<li>Champ, the<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/meet-champ-the-engagement-dog-working-in-child-pro?in_playlist=dogs-with-jobs">&nbsp;engagement dog working in child protection</a> in the Victoria police in Australia</li>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/sprout-the-care-home-visitor?in_playlist=dogs-with-jobs">Sprout, the care home visitor</a></li>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/mika-the-wellbeing-and-trauma-support-dog-who-work?in_playlist=dogs-with-jobs">Mika, the support dog </a>working in the UK's Metropolitan Police</li>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/louis-the-hospital-volunteer-attends-a-military-ve?in_playlist=dogs-with-jobs">Louis the hospital volunteer </a>attends a veterans' support session</li>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/meet-mabel-emotional-support-worker-in-the-fire-se?in_playlist=dogs-with-jobs">Mabel, emotional support worker</a> in the fire service</li>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/phantom-the-secondary-school-reading-assistant?in_playlist=dogs-with-jobs">Phantom, the secondary school reading assistant</a></li>
</ul>
Interested in therapy work with your dog?
These are just some of the orgnaisations &ndash; there are many others so please do research this wherever you are based.
<ul>
<li>Koa and Andy volunteer in New York City:&nbsp;<a href="https://thegooddogfoundation.org/">The Good Dog Foundation</a></li>
<li>Therapy Dog organisations in the UK:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.petsastherapy.org/">Pets as Therapy</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://tdn.org.uk/">Therapy Dogs Nationwide</a></li>
<li>Patricia Bland of Pets as Therapy, the UK charity, explains&nbsp;<a href="https://shineradio.uk/2021/01/what-qualities-make-a-good-therapy-dog/">what qualities she looks for in a therapy dog</a></li>
</ul>
Do you work your dog?
Or perhaps you know someone else who might like to come on the show?&nbsp; I love all and any working dogs - and am always looking for dogs to come on the show.&nbsp;
Get in touch with me, Kate, via&nbsp;<a href="mailto:team@shineradio.uk">team@shineradio.uk.</a>
Find more&nbsp;<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/petersfieldstories/playlists/dogs-with-jobs">dogs with interesting jobs.</a>&nbsp;
&copy; &amp; ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025
&nbsp;

Local stories, local voices and local information from Petersfield.

We cover community news, culture, nature, history, events and entertainment in the South Downs market town of Petersfield in Hampshire, UK.

This feed includes all our on-demand audio. Find our more specific feeds by searching "Petersfield" on your  favourite podcast app.

Shine Radio is the radio station made by you. Share your stories or join our volunteer team. Find out more at https://shineradio.uk, email team@shineradio.uk or call Petersfield 01730 555 500.

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Local stories, local voices and local information from Petersfield.
We cover community news, culture, nature, history, events and entertainment in the South Downs market town of Petersfield in Hampshire, UK.
This feed includes all our on-demand audio. Find our more specific feeds by searching "Petersfield" on your  favourite podcast app.
Shine Radio is the radio station made by you. Share your stories or join our volunteer team. Find out more at <a href="https://shineradio.uk">https://shineradio.uk</a>, email <a href="mailto:team@shineradio.uk">team@shineradio.uk</a> or call Petersfield 01730 555 500.
You make it shine.

Voices and stories from Petersfield in Hampshire, UK

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