(Radio Iowa) – Sioux City’s 185th Air National Guard Refueling Wing has a new recruit with who will potentially have the weight of someone’s world on him. Lincoln is a 10 week old English Cream Golden Retriever puppy that is a therapy dog in training at the base. Lieutenant Colonel Steve Peters is the 185th Air Refueling Wing chaplain and Lincoln’s caretaker. He says the English Cream variation of the golden retrievers seem to want to be with people more and care for them.

ING Therapy Dog

Peters said Lincoln started preparing for his career the day he was born. “After they’re born they begin training that specifically leads them to all the qualities that makes them great therapy dogs,” Peters says, ” calmness, loving people, slow to react to startling noises ARE being distracted from things that are going on around them.” Peters says the calming presence of a dog like Lincoln can put people at ease and make it easier for caregivers to address spiritual, mental and physical health issues.

“When interacting with a dog — especially with the qualities and the training that a therapy dog would have — to then open up perhaps to a chaplain, a therapist, psychologist, medical person, to then get the help that they need. It’s a barrier breaker,” according to Peters. Lincoln’s arrival is just in time for the military’s observation of National Suicide Prevention Month in September. The September training weekend is when most 185th unit members will get their first opportunity to meet the new recruit.