Meet Chittenango’s New Therapy Dog

Chittenango High School has just implemented a new method of comfort for high school students: a therapy dog.

So… why a dog, and not another human counselor? Therapy dogs have many benefits for schools and universities. Besides the basic training the dog would receive, they also bring their loving characteristics.

Students are, more often than not, able to bond with animals easier than people, as these companions don’t case judgment. This can help students feel more at ease, and encourage growth on an emotional level.

 

With rates of mental health issues and suicide in school aged children being so high, an improvement program was necessary. A study done by the National Institute of Health found that therapy animals in classrooms helps to promote a positive mood and decreases stress. Using therapy animals also provides  students with intense behavioral issues another avenue of release for their stress and anxiety.

These therapy animals also help better social behaviors. Dogs can help younger children develop more advanced social skills, which will prevent social isolation as they get older. They also assist in cognitive development, like improved reading skills, more enhanced executive functioning skills, memory, and problem solving skills.

Chittenango’s  therapy dog, Enzo, is owned by our assistant principal, Mr. Jay Altobello. Though Enzo is a very recent addition, students have already shown how much they appreciate his presence. He can be seen wandering the halls with Mr. Altobello throughout the day, sometimes popping in classrooms unannounced for a quick visit. He spends his day hanging out in different classrooms, and the response to him is overwhelmingly positive. Student morale has been an all time high, and it seems that everyone’s moods have improved.

Overall, therapy dogs have proven to be an extremely beneficial measure to implement in schools for the mental health of all students, and our Enzo does just that!