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March 29, 2021

A March filled with hope

This month, Shine On! Kids is filled with hope and anticipation as Ty and Masa get ready to enter the final phase of their training to become fully qualified Hospital Facility Dogs!!! We are so excited and so very, very grateful to everyone who has helped us get this far on our puppy journey!

February 14, 2021

Looking forward to a great 2021!

Shine On! Kids is excited to see Ty and Masa, the first two Hospital Facility Dogs raised and trained in Japan, start working full-time this year! We hope that in spite of the challenges of Covid, the final stages of their training go smoothly so they can both start bringing peace, strength and joy to everyone they meet in the hospital.

November 20, 2020

Celebrating Bailey’s Life with Bailey’s Song!

I will leave it to others to remind you of the breadth and depth of the difference one dog made to an entire country. Bailey became a bit of a rock-star in Japan -  with documentaries made about him, books written about him, appearances on the national news multiple times... but it was his gentle power of healing that inspired the song featured below.

September 15, 2020

September News: Flexibility, the key to health and success

From a physical fitness perspective, improving flexibility can both increase athletic performance and decrease risk of injury. But when we’re strong and healthy, focusing on flexibility can take a back seat to other performance-enhancing activities.

August 6, 2020

August Training Tip of the Month: Interactive Feeders

As the name implies, an interactive feeder requires action. Interactive feeders make the pet actively work for a snack by thinking and planning the pet exercises in his mind and body to obtain a portioned amount of food that he consumes more slowly.

June 8, 2020

Shine On! Kids launches in-hospital virtual English communications program in response to COVID-19 restrictions

Shine On! Kids, a Japanese government certified NPO, is launching a virtual English communications support program at Kanagawa Children’s Medical Center (KCMC).

December 23, 2019

Japan’s First Hospital Facility Dog Training Program

Shine On! Kids (SOK), a Japanese government-certified NPO, is launching a puppy training program for Hospital Facility Dogs (HFD) created in compliance with international Assistance Dog training and program standards.