Dogs are often called "man's best friend." In Helena, some special pups are helping students learn at school, and the students are helping the dogs learn, too.
Intermountain Therapy Animals is an organization that offers programs for dogs to work with students at schools. Their Helena chapter has two main programs - therapy dogs and the R.E.A.D. program.
“They’re fun to hang out with and they’re cute,” said Lillie, a third-grader at Warren Elementary.
For students like Avery, a third-grader at Warren Elementary, they help turn around those difficult days.
“They’re super kind and they help me calm down when I'm having a bad day,” Avery said.
Since 2014, therapy dogs have come into different schools around Helena once a month. One or two of the 18 available dogs come in for an hour to support kids who may be having difficulty in the classroom or at home.
School officials say the animals have helped kids improve their social skills, reduce anxiety, and even help with reading.
“And they just seem to read a lot easier and out loud when there's a dog there because then there's no judgment, so that's what we love about it,” said Wendy Sesselman, chapter coordinator for Intermountain Therapy Animals.
While Intermountain Therapy Animals has different specialty dogs, Willow here is a facility dog exclusively for Smith Elementary, trained through the anthrozoology program at Carroll College.
“She can go up to a student that may not be welcoming for a grown-up or another person to be around them, and she can enter their bubble and help them calm down and help them just regulate their emotions,” said Starsha Frederickson, school counselor for Smith Elementary.
Just like the students, Willow is learning too. She is currently in training with a student from Carroll and visits the school once a week.
“And that's really exciting to see that Willow’s able to bridge the gap between students and teachers and staff members that really do care about them,” said Olivia Dhoore, a Carroll College anthrozoology student and Willow’s trainer.
Communication can be hard for some kids, and sometimes it just takes a dog to help get the ball rolling.
