Puppy Love

It’s not everyday you can walk into a classroom and are immediately greeted by a friendly puppy smiling back at you. For one sixth grade classroom at Canyon Ridge School in Surprise however, that is quite the norm. Onyx, a four and a half year old Australian Shepherd, has found himself at home at Canyon Ridge School and was easily welcomed by students and staff as a part of the family.

Onyx, unlike most ordinary dogs, is a certified therapy dog. He comes to school with his owner and handler, Stacey Peterman, who is a sixth grade teacher at the school. Though Stacey is Onyx’s owner, the initial idea to have a therapy dog on campus came from Canyon Ridge second grade teacher, Jennifer Klein. Jennifer has always had a love for animals of all kinds, and even thought she would become a veterinarian someday, before deciding on education as a career path. After reading an article on therapy dogs, her interest on the topic piqued. She delved herself into more and more research and found increasing evidence on the effectiveness therapy dogs can bring to a school setting. Based on her findings she became interested in bringing a therapy dog to her school. “There’s a lot of research out there about therapy dogs and how they can be especially beneficial to kids in school,” said Klein.

Through her research she came across ample evidence that shows how therapy dogs can enhance children’s psychological development, improve social skills, and increase self-esteem. They can also help teach responsibility, compassion, and respect for other living things.

In a classroom setting specifically, therapy dogs have shown to be effective in helping gain various skills such as reading enhancement, stimulating memory, and problem-solving skills. Interaction with a therapy dog also has many physical benefits such as reduced blood pressure, assistance in pain management, providing physical stimulation, and motivation to move and walk. In addition, therapy dogs are also highly effective in contributing to emotional and relational development. The presence of a therapy dog can help promote greater selfesteem and well-being, calm fears, reduce anxiety, and can lift overall moods.

A student poses with Onyx in a classroom at Canyon Ridge School as she participates in a lesson.

Once her research was complete, Jennifer presented the idea to Canyon Ridge Principal, Jill Hoppe, who was on board with the idea right away. “I’m pretty much a ‘yes’ person,” she said. “So teachers will come to me with ideas, and I tend to say yes because if we have some research that it’s good for the kids, then let’s give it a try.” All that was left in the process was the approval of district leadership, so Jennifer wrote up a proposal that included much of the research and data she came across, to submit to district leadership. The proposal was ultimately approved, which now meant it was just a matter of figuring out the fine details of how this program would be implemented into the school, and the process of finding a dog that would be a good fit for the role.

Once the idea turned into reality, and the program was set to be implemented, Stacey Peterman knew she had a dog that would be a perfect fit for the role.

In order to become certified as a therapy dog, the dog must possess certain characteristics, some of which include patience, gentleness, friendliness, a sense of calmness, and the ability to adapt well to change. Stacey’s dog, Onyx already carried these characteristics, though it wasn’t necessarily an easy process to get there. Onyx was rather difficult and troublesome as a puppy, so Stacey knew right away that he needed extensive training to learn how to channel his energy and behave in certain situations. “Australian Shepherds are very bright; but they also have to have a job,’’ Stacey said with a smile. “If they don’t have a job, they will get themselves into trouble.” That is what she started to see with Onyx when he was a puppy. “He was a very difficult puppy. I needed to start his training immediately so we could make sure he was a good dog in the end,” she added. Onyx loved his training so much that she decided to just continue on with it, and continue to find new ways he could be challenged. Once Stacey heard of the possibility of adding a therapy dog at Canyon Ridge, she knew it was a great opportunity for Onyx to continue “his training and learn new skills. Stacey did all of Onyx’s training herself, as she also works as a dog trainer on the side. She teamed up with the local dog training company that she works for when it came to obtaining the necessary certifications for Onyx.

In order to earn the title of an official therapy dog, Onyx had to go through intense testing to first earn the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen Certification, as well as the AKC Community Canine Certification. The AKC Good Citizen Certification requires the dog and owner be tested in a simulated environment, in order to prove the dog has mastered basic skills such as good manners and obedience, as well as responsible ownership and a strong bond between the dog and owner. The AKC Community Canine Certification is the advanced version of the Canine Good Citizen, and requires the dog’s skills be tested in a more natural real-world setting, rather than in a controlled, simulated environment. “The test is pretty intense,” describes Stacey. “They bring out many different scenarios to see how the animal will react.” When all was said and done, and Onyx completed all the required certifications, he ended up earning the highest rating a therapy dog can receive, which means he is allowed into any facility that will have him. You can see Certified therapy dogs visit many as he wanders different settings such as schools, the room, he hospitals, daycares, nursing homes, traverses and retirement homes, and many more. Therapy dogs have a very specific goes up to job in which their mission is to provide different students. support, comfort, affection, happiness, He’s very aware of and calmness to a variety of situations. “ who needs him at a certain time. - Stacey Peterman Certified therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs, who typically provide specific services to those with a physical disability. Rather, therapy dogs assist in everyday stressors, anxieties, frustrations, and overall to just provide comfort and ease to those around them. Having a certified therapy dog requires a licensed handler, which is usually the dog’s owner. Stacey, being Onyx’s certified handler, means he has to be with her everywhere she is on campus. Whether she is in her classroom, or outside on recess duty, Onyx is there with her. When Onyx is on campus however, the majority of his time is spent in the classroom where he is able to wander around and approach different students. “You can see as he wanders the room, he traverses and goes up to different students. He’s very aware of who needs him at a certain time,” said Stacey. Onyx is usually able to tell when a student is struggling or is feeling anxious, and time with him helps the students catch a little break and refocus before getting back to their work. “When he wants to, he comes to you and comforts you to make you feel safer and more comfortable doing work. He also helps you focus,” said Lily, a sixth grade Canyon Ridge student. “It’s been really cool to see the impact that he’s had on some of our students,” Stacey added.

Onyx lays on the carpet as students around him participate in a lesson at Canyon Ridge School.

Other students outside of Stacey’s classroom are also able to benefit when Onyx is on campus. “There are times in a student’s day where they might just be feeling so overwhelmed that they shut down,” said Principal Jill Hoppe. “They put their head on their desk, they won’t work or participate, or maybe even start crying. Those are the times where it’s important to take some time to sit with and pet Onyx so they can reset and get back to class.”

Though the students are Onyx’s primary focus, the staff at the school have also been able to benefit from him being there. “Everyone’s face lights up when he comes in in the morning,” said Jill. “The whole entire staff knows him. He goes to meetings after school with us, our office staff have little treats in their desks for him. Our staff is also able to find such joy in him.”

The staff at Canyon Ridge is excited to see the growth of the program on their campus. They currently have plans to add additional therapy dogs, with Stacey Peterman currently training another one of her dogs to bring to campus, as well as Principal Jill Hoppe training her own dog to become certified. The process is quite lengthy however, and ensuring the right dog is trained and certified is essential, as not every dog may be a good fit for the role. “It is an extensive process and we want to make sure that we do it right so that we can continue and that everyone is safe. That is obviously our first concern,” said Stacey. “It’s not a job for every dog. It requires a lot of work and a lot of training to be able to bring them to school,” she added. With all the different things the dogs see throughout the day, and all the scenarios they may find themselves in, it is important to be able to ensure the dog has the proper certifications in order to ensure the dog’s safety, and most importantly the student’s safety. “We take it very seriously. Making sure everyone is taken care of is really really important,” said Stacey.

The hard work and dedication by the many involved in making this program a reality does not go unnoticed. Principal Jill Hoppe states that she is especially grateful for their hard work, as the impact Onyx has had at the school so far is definitely noticed. “I’m so proud of my staff,” Jill exclaimed. “It’s also great being in a district that is supportive of these initiatives and trusting that we’re putting the students first and foremost at all times.”

The positive impact Onyx has made at Canyon Ridge is evident. He brings an infectious joy and calmness everywhere he goes on campus, as Jill adds, “Overall he is fun, he brings joy, and all he has to do is be himself. If we can bring more joy to our school every single day, why not do it?”

A student smiles and pets Onyx during a lesson at Canyon Ridge School. Onyx is a fully certified Therapy Dog who had to go through rigorous testing.