On April 18, 2018 I attended the “Just Paws Therapy Dogs” event at IUP. This is a time for students to visit with therapy dogs if they’re feeling stressed. I had the chance to interview the owners of three of the dogs: Piper, a three year old Coton de Tulear; Sapphire, a six year old Australian Shepherd; and Roxie, a seven year old Golden Retriever.
They all talked about the training process that their dogs had to go through in order to become a qualified therapy dog. To start, the dogs must be at least one year old. Janine, Roxie’s owner, talked about how she started training her dog herself when she was a puppy. She made sure to get her dog used to being petted all over so that she would be comfortable when she started her training and wouldn’t be frightened by a lot of interaction with patients, students, etc. The dogs are then tested for their temperament, making sure they’re well behaved, calm, and not too energetic. Sapphire’s owner said that she was very energetic which is something they had to work on during her training process.
Piper, a three year old Coton de Tulear.
For the actual test, the dogs and owners were evaluated as a team by a certified trainer. They had to do three observed visits, two being at nursing homes. Janine explained how during the training, they would simulate issues that may occur in a nursing home such as screaming or falling. Since these dogs will be around all different types of people and environments, they have to be prepared for all situations. If the dogs pass the test, they must be examined every year to make sure they’re healthy and to get re-certified. Once the dogs and owners are finished with the formal training, they are qualified to visit different places.
When I spoke with the owners of the therapy dogs at the “Just Paws Therapy Dogs” event, they all said they’ve taken their dogs to reading programs at local schools. The dogs sit and listen while the students read to them. This is a way for kids who may not be comfortable reading in front of other people to practice their skills. The common grades for these dogs to visit is elementary school between first and second grade. Sapphire’s owner said that they have even received thank you cards from the students.
Sapphire, a six year old Australian Shepherd.
Janine told me about a program she takes her dog to about being safe with strange dogs. A lot of kids, and people in general, get very excited when they see a dog and may frighten them. During this program, the children learn how to properly approach a dog and how to read their body language. Teaching kids this can help to decrease incidents such as biting that could end up traumatizing kids if they get hurt by a dog.
On April 15, 2018, an IUP Punxsutawney student died in a car accident. Classes were canceled for a day to allow students to mourn. Death is a very difficult situation to deal with, especially when it’s someone they’re close to. Janine talked about how she took Roxie to the Punxsutawney campus to help comfort the students who were affected by the student’s death.
Roxie, a seven year old Golden Retriever.
All three owners agreed that having a therapy dog has greatly improved their lives. Piper’s owner got her when her husband became terminally ill. They chose the Coton de Tulear breed since it’s known for being a companion and a lap dog. After he passed away, she didn’t want to leave Piper alone all day. Instead, she decided to give back to the community and have Piper become a therapy dog. She said it’s a great way for them to have something they can do together.
The therapy dogs will be back during finals week on Tuesday, May 8th from 11:30 am-1:00 pm. I encourage all IUP students to go visit with them. It’s a great stress reliever and really helps to calm students down who may be having a difficult time.
Photos by Katherine Marodi.
Disclaimer – This article was written for a class and has been approved for reposting by the author and her professor.