Parks, a two-year-old Labrador retriever, is the first facility dogfor the Orlando Health Hospital for Children.

The dog¡¯s now part of the team, and he¡¯s already making a big difference. Parks knows dozens of commands to help calm patients and perform tasks, and he¡¯s learning even more. He brightens the days, and also aids and rehabs when he holds a bat, hits a ball, and plays with children. According to medical workers, Parks adds some more care that they can¡¯t provide.

Canine Companions has 475 active facility dog teams, and 70 of them now work in a hospital setting. The organization provides service and facility dogs at no cost. The pups are very eager to work and please, and they¡¯re very smart. They undergo extensive training, and they learn tasks to help people, for example, pulling wheelchairs, picking up dropped items or opening doors.

Difficult words: facility dog (a professionally trained dog that does specific tasks), rehab (to return to a normal state after being ill or injured), eager (a strong desire or interest in something).