A day at Walt Disney World is exhausting, but for Jessica Paulsen it can be extra tough to make it through the day. Paulsen has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which is a condition that affects circulation.
Luckily she has a best friend to help her, and he’ll even put a smile on her face when she’s feeling down.
Recently the two took a trip to one of their favorite places, Walt Disney World, and Paulsen made sure to document their magical day.
In 2017, Henry went to live with Paulsen. The Golden Retriever works as a medical response dog and is capable of using deep pressure therapy to help ease some of the symptoms of POTS. He is also able to retrieve Paulsen’s husband in case of an emergency, do some tasks around the house, and assist Paulsen so she doesn’t need to exert a lot of energy while walking.
Since Henry is a service dog, he needs to devote his full attention to Paulsen, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get to have some fun.
Take a look at the fun the two had while visiting Walt Disney World.
The pair have been to Disney World a total of six times, and according to The Dodo four of those times Paulsen used the trip as an opportunity to train Henry.
“I try to correct people when they say ‘You can bring dogs here?’ Because for a regular dog, Disney World would be a stressful environment,” she said.
Paulsen recalled the first time she and Henry went to Disney and while it was “cute” because Henry was excited, it wasn’t good for his training.
“He is still not perfect, but seeing how far he has come when he meets characters makes me so proud.”
When Henry and Paulsen aren’t meeting characters or enjoying their favorite Mickey treats, Paulsen uses the opportunity to teach those who approach the pair about service dogs.
“It’s tough for me to have to tell kids that Henry cannot be pet while he is working. Every once in awhile we do allow pets, and it’s a good chance for us to educate kids and their parents about how to interact with working dogs and to never pet without asking.”
If you want to see more of Henry’s adventures you can follow him on Instagram.
Aren’t these two just the cutest?
Henry has a very important job, and he takes it very seriously, even when surrounded by all the fun at Walt Disney World.
Pass this article on to show appreciation for all the service dogs out there who help their owners every single day.
