Residents at Mineral Community Hospital have a new four-legged friend named Storm Trooper. He’s just over a year old and already has started his career as a certified therapy dog. Linda Reineke is Trooper’s trainer and she said the white English lab came out of her first litter of pups, and he’s the first one she’s trained.

Reineke along with her husband, Fred, got their first lab named Shadow a few years ago. He came from a therapy line. They then they got a female, Belle Starr, and bred them. This was the beginning of their business, Happy Labs Kennel in St. Regis. Currently, they are working with another female pup named Cassiopeia.

“We have only had two litters so far,” she said, “and there’s a waiting list for the puppies.”

The couple moved to St. Regis a couple of years ago, where she retired from teaching at Spokane Valley. Now on Wednesday mornings, Reineke and Trooper visit hospital residents.

“The residents really respond, you can see a difference in their eyes,” said hospital staff member, Kathy Jones. “Trooper is getting to know the residents and it’s so therapeutic for them. He calms down some of the patients. He’s just awesome. One woman was getting breathing treatments a few weeks ago, and she had her headgear on. Trooper was kind of unfamiliar with it, and scared at first, but the next time he saw her, he walked right up to her.”

Jones said everyone is so thankful for Reineke to volunteer her time and visit with the elderly residents.

Trooper was socialized as a puppy and put in obedience training. He was then evaluated by Pet Partners in Missoula to be certified as a therapy dog. Reineke has also been certified through an on-line course. In the certification process he had to sit, stay, and be exposed to different situations, such as wheelchairs and loud noises. Reineke said dogs this young don’t usually pass, but he did at 13 months old.

Monte Turner, who also works at the hospital, gave Reineke a big jar of doggie treats. Armed with the treats, Reineke, Trooper and Jones walked down the hospital corridor and started to knock on doors.

First stop was with 89-year-old Roy, who was sitting in a wheelchair in his room. Trooper walked up to Roy and got a warm pat on the head. Roy smiles and said he likes dogs and had owned several of them, including a white German Shephard.

Down the hall, Jones knocks on another door, “Eugene, you have visitor, do you want to see him?”

Eugene sits up in bed and allows Trooper to give him a lick on the cheek. He said he likes does but has never owned one. Down the hall in the common area, several residents are seated around tables, having a morning snack and watching TV. Edna Cummings, 104, smiles and gives Trooper a pet. Her son Doug is visiting and said they always had cats, but never a dog, “but she likes dogs,” he said.

“He’s a great dog, very sweet,” said Karen, who is also in a wheelchair and reaches out to give him a pat.

Reineke said that Trooper is even therapeutic toward their older dog, Abie. He sits with the old dog and comforts him. He’s also bonded tightly with the couple’s five-year-old grandson, Parker. This is Trooper’s first assignment but they may start going to other locations, where ever there may be an opportunity.

“Trooper has been very well received,” said Reineke, “and we hope to continue to just put a smile on the people’s faces. There’s so much joy, and Trooper gets pretty excited about coming here.”