Therapy dogs offer emotional support, stress relief for Port Huron Northern students
Tommy, a therapy dog, wagged his tail as students at Port Huron Northern High School approached him Wednesday. He succumbed to their pets and flopped on his back, rolling over for belly rubs as students stroked his golden fur.
"I love it," senior Malachi Perkins said as he stroked Tommy's head.
Perkins said he moved schools last year, and appreciates that Northern holds different activities like this to support students' wellbeing.
He said he likes the dogs because they get your mind off your troubles for a few minutes.
Freshman Emily Anderson said it's nice to see the dogs as students are stressed out for exams next week.
"Seeing all the cute dogs is amazing," she said.
Tommy and 12 of his fellow therapy dogs visited as part of Northern's wellness week, which helps students learn about wellness and healthy coping mechanisms, said counselor Julie Barlass.
Barlass said students watch daily videos on different aspects of physical and mental wellness. Teachers are also encouraged to have discussions with their students regarding wellness.
"We really just want to give our students more strategies and coping skills to manage the stressors of everyday life," Barlass said.
The school has been seeing an uptick in anxiety among students as they wrestle with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the shooting at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, which left four dead and seven others injured, she said. The school wanted to do something to be more proactive to help students' well-being.
Dog handler Barb Reckker said the dogs provide emotional support and stress relief for the people they visit. Several therapy dog groups who were at the school also visit nursing homes, hospitals, hospice centers and funeral homes.
"(The dogs) have a real calming effect," Reckker said.
Any breed or size of dog can be a therapy dog, said Carolyn Crowe, a Blue Water Therapy Dog Club handler and owner of Tommy. They just need a calm and friendly personality.
The dogs are personal pets that are trained by their owners to become therapy dogs.
To become certified, owners must undergo 10 mentoring visits and pass an evaluation, Crowe said. While it's not required for certification, classes are available through various therapy dog groups.
To learn more about certification, classes and the Blue Water Therapy Dog Club, visit the Great Lakes K9 website at glk-9.com/index.html or call (810) 987-5770. Visit the Blue Water Therapy Dog Club's Facebook page at facebook.com/greatlakesk9therapydogclub/.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Therapy dogs offer stress relief for Port Huron Northern students
