When thousands gathered in Lewiston to honor the 18 people killed during a mass shooting in 2023, Willie and Dawn Grondin were there. 

When firefighters from Bangor found themselves in mourning over the suicide of a colleague, Willie and Dawn came to cheer them up and to talk things over. 

When old-timers get morose at Schooner Memory Care in Auburn, Willie and Dawn come along to brighten moods and engage the residents. 

Willie is a dog, if you haven’t figured that out, and Dawn is his handler. Over the past two years, since they became a first-responder therapy dog team, the pair have been all over the place visiting fire stations, police stations, schools and old folks homes, to name just a few, to offer their unique brand of therapy. 

Willie is a chocolate lab pushing 6 years old. Dawn describes the dog the way she might describe a lovable child. 

“Willie is very confident and intelligent,” she says, “yet also a docile, kind-eyed chocolate boy who has a goofy side.” 

The story of how this duo came to be a powerful therapy team for first responders begins with grief over the loss of a family member — and yet it was that grief that revealed the potential healing powers of a charismatic dog. 

Dawn, you see, belongs to a first-responder family. Her husband, Randall, has been an emergency medical technician and volunteer firefighter in Bethel for nearly 25 years. Presently, Randall is deputy chief of Bethel Rescue and he’s the fire chief in Gilead. 

Their daughter is a lieutenant with the Fire Department.

In the summer of 2022, tragedy befell the family.

“I got an unthinkable call while I was up in Skowhegan on an ice cream adventure with the little boy I nanny,” Dawn says. “My husband was calling to tell me that they were on the boat in the middle of the pond at camp and his father had collapsed. He, along with my daughter, provided initial CPR and life-saving measures while my daughter’s fiance got the boat back to the dock. Another friend, who has a camp on the lake, heard the commotion, went to the fire station to grab the automated external defibrillator. Waiting for an ambulance in very rural western Maine felt like forever, and working his father’s code (potential death) feels longer.” 

Ultimately, Randall’s father could not be saved. He died of a cardiac event, and a feeling of gloom fell over the Grondin household. 

“For much time after that, quiet and somber emotions flooded our home as Randy stepped away from the job he loved for a short leave,” Dawn says.  

And then, at a time when the family needed uplifting more than ever, Willie stepped up to the challenge. 

“At times, Willie was the only person who could get near my husband,” Dawn says, “and Willie was the only one he would talk to. We’ve always been dog people and that’s why — but this was different.” 

Willie has a gift, as it turns out; a gift for recognizing grief in a human being along with a natural eagerness to help.

There was no way Dawn was going to let that gift go to waste. 

She started looking around for therapy dog organizations and ultimately found that the American Kennel Club endorses the national nonprofit group First Responder Therapy Dogs. 

By that point, Dawn had already begun therapy dog training with Willie to prepare him to be a school visitation dog. But becoming a therapy dog requires much more extensive training — for both dog and human. 

Dawn began taking Willie to the Bethel fire station to see how he’d react to the clamor and to big machinery like generators, boats, four-wheelers and all the other souped-up gadgets that populate a firehouse. 

“Willie didn’t flinch,” Dawn says. “He showed an interest and acknowledged the noise or equipment and then went back to the people. We visited Med-Care Ambulance at their new station for the same purpose, as there was constant ambulance traffic. It’s a lot of time and consistent work, but Willie makes it very easy. He knows his job and he has yet to let us down. Willie passed his behavior assessments.” 

So Willie was up to the task of performing therapy duties and Dawn was ready to go. Simple as that, right? 

Not so fast, Scooby. 

Hoops to jump through 

To get to a place where they can help as many people as possible, Willie and Dawn had to put in a lot of work. 

To become a certified handler dog team with the First Responder Therapy Dogs team, both had to undergo various types of training. 

Willie, for starters, had to be accepted as an AKC Canine Good Citizen, which involves a 10-step test that “certifies dogs who have good manners at home and in their community.”

While waiting for Willie to nail that down, Dawn began to plug away at classes addressing topics such as psychological first aid, service to self, skills for psychological recovery, and so on.

She had to complete a Federal Emergency Management Agency course, which “provides the foundation for higher level Incident Command System training.” 

The training to become a therapy dog team is not for lightweights. By the time they sign off on a person and a dog, the First Responder Therapy Dogs program knows exactly who they are dealing with. 

“This organization requires a complete annual veterinary exam on Willie,” Dawn says, “and a background check on me.”

The pair put in all the required work with gusto. And then, two years ago, they became a certified team. At the time they were the first and only such team in the state.  

With all that prep work behind them, Willie and Dawn started making their rounds, going wherever and whenever a situation called for a good dog-woman therapy team.

They’ve addressed the topic of mental wellness for many in the emergency services. They’ve been to the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Boston where they also attended events for the American Lung Association and other organizations. They’ve been to fundraisers and schools.

The duo were in the Maine State Federation of Firefighters parade and attended the New England FOOLS (firefighters) weekend in Wells. 

Willie, as it turns out, is up for anything. The dog, it seems, was born for this type of work.

“His favorites are the fireman’s muster at the Fryeburg Fair,” Dawn says, “and the Saco Scoop Ice Cream Shop, where he was the star of a meet-and-greet for Old Orchard Beach Fire.” 

What makes Willie so good in social circumstances? 

“He is very aware of the emotion happening around him and can detect the emotional needs of people before they know — or before it is noticeable to others,” Dawn says. “Willie is the epitome of an emotional support animal, and having him certified as a therapy dog allows for him to be shared with others. One hundred pounds of pure love! He has more followers on Instagram than both his humans combined.” 

That’s right, Willie also maintains a heavy presence on social media. Facebook? Oh, yeah. He’s there. 

Tik Tok? He’s got that, too. 

On social media, Willie will sometimes take on the role of team spokes-dog.

“As you know,” Willie says in one Facebook post, “I am part of a national nonprofit organization that assists first responders with the mental health challenges they face as a direct result of their day-to-day job by providing comfort and support as a therapy dog. You also might know that my family’s story is the reason that my humans helped me get into this type of work. Well, I am not one to brag, but everyone tells me I am so handsome and I make them feel better just by entering the room.” 

No dogs allowed

He’s not lying. When Willie and Dawn make monthly trips to Schooner Memory Care in Auburn, the results are plain to see. 

When the residents there become aware that there’s a dog in their presence, they react immediately. They smile, they laugh, they perhaps remember a time when dogs were vital parts of their lives, and Willie reminds them just how sweet dogs can be. 

“Dawn and Willie bring so much joy to our residents here,” says Brianna Ritchie, social programming director at Schooner Memory Care. “His big block head and goofy face makes everyone smile! There’s no worries when Willie is around!” 

A lot of what Willie and Dawn do is just plain fun. Rollicking with old-timers or with kids? That’s a thrill for all. 

But their main role is to step in when things get real in emergency services circles. Willie found that out right out of the gate. 

“His first ‘big’ job was visiting three professional firehouses in Bangor after they lost one of their own to suicide,” Dawn says. “It’s hard to be the big tough guy that saves everyone else, yet when it comes time to take care of others, they forget to take care of themselves — first responders do not practice what they preach and that is the center of our message: Mental wellness should be talked about.” 

By and large, Willie and Dawn are welcomed wherever they go. Who DOESN’T enjoy a visit from a personable dog? 

But there are occasional snags, mainly involving misunderstandings about the services this dog-woman team provide.

“There is a lot of explaining to do for some to understand the role of a therapy dog versus an emotional support animal or a service dog,” Dawn says. 

Willie is neither an emotional support animal or a service dog. That sometimes causes confusion.

“If the event is held at a function center or convention area we are often denied because they do not understand or recognize the importance of his purpose and go strictly by ADA rules,” Dawn says. But those misunderstandings are the exceptions.

“For the most part, it’s all smiles, lots of snuggles, and treats,” Dawn says. “Depending on the purpose of the visit, support during a critical incident debriefing looks much different and often starts with somber silence. Willie works his magic and is drawn to those that need him most. He will sit at their feet and let them accept and engage first. He knows.” 

Willie knows best

Dawn and her family typically have three Labradors for pack purposes, she says. They just said goodbye to their oldest, Hellie, who died of cancer just before Thanksgiving. 

One of the labs, a youngster named Bergie, makes sure that Willie doesn’t become an all-work-and-no-play kind of dog.

“Bergie keeps Willie on his toes and entertained,” Dawn says. “He is an almost 2-year-old yellow lab who much prefers tricks and agility obstacles versus therapy work. Bergie runs on adrenaline, and although the two can rough play and be silly labs, Willie much prefers to nap on the coach or watch TV.” 

And should you someday meet Willie and want to impress him with some proper treats, Dawn provides a rundown of his favorites. 

“He loves steamed green beans, unseasoned steak trim, and fast food french fries, and a cup of ice from Dunkin’ donuts,” Dawn says. “My students have made pumpkin oatmeal treats for them and those do not last long.” 

More Willie trivia? This year, he got so many paid votes through a First Responder Therapy Dogs fundraiser, he won a place on the group’s newest canine calendar. 

Willie is Mr. June. 

You can find out more about Willie and Dawn at facebook.com/WillieFRTD

To learn about the First Responder Therapy Dogs program, visit firstrespondertherapydogs.org

Copy the Story Link