Meet Bunji – therapy dog extraordinaire!

Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

For Shannon Schiller, a love of animals has always been a big part of life. Even at a very young age, Shannon reveals that she was always fond of bringing home little animals that she rescued. Her experience with caring for animals is a life-long ambition that she continues to this day.
A self-described “horse-crazy girl,” Shannon got her first horse while still in high school and got involved in show-jumping. Later in life, she got a job as a veterinary technician and has worked in the field for over 20 years. Upon meeting her husband, John, the pair bought property in Lloyd and began breeding horses and rescuing dogs. Through their 19 years together, the Schillers have enjoyed welcoming a great many rescues and fosters into their home, although they have since retired from breeding horses.
The husband and wife duo have greatly enjoyed being involved in dog rescue over the years, and have welcomed many dogs into their home, both as fosters and as forever family members. Currently, they serve as fosters for Tallahassee Big Dog Rescue. Nearly three years ago, for her 40th birthday, Shannon and John welcomed another furry friend into their home to stay: Bunji, an Australian Cattle Dog.
Bunji was specially selected from a breeder in Crystal River, who has since retired. When he was just two weeks old, Shannon and John made the trip out there to see the puppies and select one from the litter.
“I wanted to wait until they were old enough to determine their personalities,” says Shannon, “but I knew I wanted a boy and there were only three to choose from. I feel like he picked me... The other two puppies, when I held them, wiggled around and wouldn't settle, but when I held Bunji he immediately relaxed and I think I fell in love.”
This heartwarming beginning was exactly that: only the beginning! This October, Bunji will turn three years old, and this special canine has received a therapy certification through the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital's Animal Therapy Program. Although she is pleased with his important position, Shannon admits that it wasn't exactly what she originally expected when she got Bunji.
“When I got him,” she reflects, “I initially thought we might do agility, dock-diving or something like that. But right off the bat, I could tell he was different than your average Australian Cattle Dog. He was super chill and he absolutely loved everyone. That's when I thought he would make a good therapy dog.”
As a certified therapy dog, Bunji travels to clinical settings in order to provide stress relief to staff members and comfort to patients. His favorite place to visit is The Women's Pavilion in Tallahassee (Shannon says he loves the ladies!), but he also enjoys visits to the main hospital at TMH, the 911 call center, the Emergency Room at TMH and a couple of other different rehab facilities around town.
“He's a pretty funny guy,” says Shannon, “and he knows a bunch of tricks, so he likes to perform and show off.”
A therapy dog is different from a service dog, mentions Shannon. A therapy dog is trained to provide comfort to those who need it, and often specialize in visiting patients and staff in hospitals, retirement communities, hospice care centers and similar facilities. A service dog is specially trained to provide a specific service to a single person. This service is often medical in nature, and a service dog can provide their owner with assistance for disabilities or mental health conditions that otherwise impair their lives. Both therapy dogs and service dogs are incredible resources for the individuals who need them, and Bunji loves his role as a therapy dog.
In March of this year, Shannon and John opened up their very own dog boarding business, with Bunji as their mascot. Bunji's Bed and Biscuits provides their clients with a relaxed atmosphere where boarding dogs stay in the home with them and can play with their dogs and other boarding canines. Boarding dogs tag along with the Schillers to do farm chores and cuddle on the couch when there is down time.
Although the Schillers have a few dogs of their own, their experience bringing fosters and rescues into their home over the years has led to a healthy socialization for their resident dogs, and conflicts between boarding dogs and resident dogs are kept closely under control.
“Our dogs are very used to new dogs coming and going,” says Shannon, “and it's been no different with the boarders. There has been a disagreement here or there but that's where my experience as a vet tech and years of studying dog body language comes in, as we are able to stop them from happening before they even get a chance to start. Because Bunji is, at his core, still a herding dog, he will occasionally get in the middle and try to mediate.”
Shannon has now retired from her job as a vet tech, and is focusing on the dog boarding business full-time. Since the business has been open, she says business has been good.
“It's been a bit of a whirlwind!” she says, “We've been so busy over this summer and have been really blessed with some great clients and amazing dogs! It's been working really well.”
Although their day-to-day lives are very busy these days, Shannon and John still make time for the little things, and enjoy teaching Bunji new tricks, going out to dinner together and finding new places to hike with their dogs. As a member of the North Florida Search Team, Shannon is in the process of training one of their dogs to become a certified search and rescue dog, so when they have spare time, they enjoy working towards that goal.
All in all, Shannon says, “Bunji is the best dog I've ever had, and he absolutely loves his job as a therapy dog.”