One of the newest residents at Luther Acres Retirement Home in Lititz is only five months old.

His name is Buddy, and he has white hair and big brown puppy dog eyes. That's not so unusual, because Buddy is a puppy, a Great Pyrenees puppy to be exact. He is the new resident therapy dog at Luther Acres.

His "job" at Luther Acres is to fill the need of residents for a warm. loving dog that can keep them company and attend some of their activities. He also helps to give them a purpose, in helping to take care of him. They enjoy feeding him, petting him and taking him for walks.

As Mary Schreiber, recreational therapist at Luther Acres, points out, residents enjoy activities and experiences that remind them of being at home. A few of them had to give up pets, and miss their cats and dogs. Buddy helps to give them the sense of well being that a pet can provide.

"Just petting a dog can help you feel more relaxed and satisfied," says Schreiber. "And Buddy is a great listener."

Schreiber has brought her own cat, Maddie, a sweet orange and white tabby, to Luther Acres, and discovered how much that meant to some of the residents. A therapy pet has to have the right temperament--- friendly and calm--- to visit nursing home residents. 

"I saw how much some of them liked Maddie, and she still comes to visit." says Schreiber. "But Buddy will be a full-time resident here." 

Buddy has his own area at the skilled nursing unit of the retirement home, plus a large, enclosed outdoor courtyard. He is crate-trained, so likes to sleep in his crate. Residents and staff take care of feeding him, giving him water and taking him for walks. By the time he is full grown, he is likely to weigh more than 100 pounds. 

"I like Buddy. It's great to have a companion," says resident Jennie Baker, 102, and a retired nurse, one of the first graduates of Lancaster General Hospital nursing school. 

Baker enjoys when Buddy stops by for a visit. He is able to sense when people are dog-lovers. He goes up to them and gently nuzzles them for a pat on the head. He often lies down next to Baker, and she just likes having him around.

Resident Shirley Gutlacker likes Buddy too, although she admits that she is more of a cat-lover, and looks forward to Maddie's visits. Bob Fraelich prefers dogs and smiles broadly when he sees Buddy coming down the hall. Dottie Kane likes Buddy so much, she donated some of her Bingo winnings to buy him dog food.

"He's becoming part of the family, just like a pet at home," says Schreiber.

Buddy came to Luther Acres through Kristen Loose, director of nursing. An avid dog-lover, Loose has a friend whose female Great Pyrenees had a litter of puppies. The mother dog became ill and couldn't nurse her babies, so Loose and others helped to bottle feed the pups. Loose became so attached, he adopted two of the puppies, Buddy and his brother Max.

Loose started bringing the puppies to Luther Acres because she thought the residents would enjoy them. They did. Soon the idea occurred to her and Schreiber to have one of the puppies become a therapy dog at Luther Acres. It was decided that Buddy had the better temperament for the job.

Bred as faithful guard dogs for flocks of sheep, Great Pyrenees are known to be good companion dogs. They are tolerant and quiet. And they have a beautiful coat of silky white fur, a characteristic that many of the residents like about Buddy.

"His fur is nice and soft," says Gutlacker. "Buddy is a good dog."