Therapy dogs spread happiness

Therapy dogs from the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society recently visited Pitt’s campus…. Therapy dogs from the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society recently visited Pitt’s campus.

But these dogs are more than just pretty mugs prancing down the halls of the Cathedral; they were here to make students feel better.

Therapy dogs frequent schools, libraries, nursing homes and hospitals, providing enjoyment and relaxation to people of different ages and situations, including Pitt students.

“I miss petting a dog,” Pitt graduate student Amruta Shanbhag said as she happily stroked Penny, a 5-year-old boxer mix and licensed therapy dog.

Studies show that owning a dog can reduce the risk of asthma, lower cholesterol and help prevent loneliness and depression, according to the Pedigree Petfoods Web site. Being a dog owner may also increase the chance of surviving a heart attack, according to the Web site, which said dog owners are more likely than non-pet owners are to survive this serious health worry.

People may benefit simply from being in contact with the animals, and the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society trains therapy dogs to work in the community to help, said Marsha Robbins, director of humane education for the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society.

When therapy dogs are “on duty,” their job is to let people pet them and love them, Robbins said as she walked along side her poodle-mix pup, Maui.

Maui was once thought to be out of control and unable to be trained, but within four months she became a certified therapy dog, Robbins said.

The confident canine works with her owner as a team, said Robbins, who added that much of the work of therapy dogs is about forming a bond with the owner. If the dog leaves the owner, then the dog is no longer considered a therapy dog, Robbins said.

When visiting a college campus, Robbins said the therapy dogs provide relaxation to students and comfort to those whose pets are at home.

Therapy dogs receive the most attention on college campuses’ during finals week because everyone is so stressed, Robbins said.

At libraries, therapy dogs help those who have trouble reading, said Jullian Williams, a Pitt graduate student and dog owner.

A program called “Reading with Rover,” helps children improve their reading skills. A child who might hesitate to read in front of peer tends to be less stressed when reading to a dog because the child’s reading ability is never judged by their canine companion, according to the Reading with Rover Web site.

People also welcome the therapy dogs to hospitals and nursing homes. Such institutions recognize the many benefits their patients receive from the company of dogs.

Therapy dogs can go practically everywhere because there is no normal environment, Robbins said. Except where there is food, she added.

The dogs gracefully deal with being petted incorrectly and even taunted.

“If they did care they couldn’t do this work,” said Bob Zehmisch, the owner of Oscar, a 6-year-old Labrador and beagle mix and certified therapy dog.

Therapy dogs come in all shapes, sizes and breeds. However, “they [must] have an even temperament, then [they] can train for other skills,” Robbins said.

Training to be a therapy dog includes, “11 points of obedience to behave around other dogs, children and people,” Williams said.

Teams of therapy dogs from the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society visit such locations as a complimentary service to the community.

Students and therapy dog owners alike welcome the idea of canine therapy.

“Students really seem to embrace him,” Williams said of her beloved bulldog, Sergeant.