You NEED THERAPY, DOG! SLEEPING IN CLASS? IT MAY NOT BE YOUR FAULT

Therapy Dogs In The Classroom

Therapy dogs are used in a variety of settings – from hospitals to nursing homes, shelters to business, elementary schools to universities – and are united under one purpose: to support and comfort everyone they encounter. Unique from service dogs, therapy dogs typically serve the greater community rather than perform a specific task for a single disabled owner. In school settings, therapy dogs use their specialized training as well as their instincts as social animals to provide students with socio-emotional, cognitive, and mental health benefits, which eventually translate to numerous positive behaviors including improved calmness, cooperation, problem-solving, and interest in learning.

As many dog-owners have experienced, these animals, also known as “man’s best friend,” are quite talented at making connections with people. When therapy dogs visit a classroom, they can help students feel more secure and loved. For many children, social skills do not come easily, and having a non-judgmental dog to spend time with can help those students avoid feeling isolated while building their confidence. Supporting these claims regarding students’ socio-emotional development, a 2006 study focusing on students with severe emotional disorders revealed that when a therapy dog was in the classroom, students became more emotionally stable, their attitudes towards school improved, and they were more receptive to learning lessons about responsibility, respect, and empathy. A 2003 Australian study that investigated the same subject, but with second-graders not known to have emotional disorders, found similar results. When a dog was in the classroom, “The group became socially more homogenous due to decreased behavioral extremes,” “formerly withdrawn individuals

BY ARYANA SAEDI

Data shows that we, as adolescents, require around 9 hours of sleep per night (specifically 9 ¼ hours) for proper development and functioning. However, we are notorious for not getting enough sleep, which takes a toll on the mental and physical health of our generation –making sleep deprivation an epidemic.

Based on the data received from our very own sleep survey, only 8% of our student body gets the recommended amount of sleep.

HERE’S WHAT WE SEE

We are expected to spend these four years of our lives dedicated to learning and achieving success in our academics. We are expected to be well rounded, participating in sports and other extracurriculars, holding a job, and partaking in other aspects of being a teenager. We are also expected to use this time to discover ourselves, develop healthy relationships, and figure out our futures. If this is the map to

DATA BY JAMES THORNBURG

became socially more interested,” and “children paid more attention to the teacher.”

Students can also experience significant cognitive benefits when reading to therapy dogs. A 2017 study analyzing the impacts of reading to therapy dogs on reading attitudes among second graders found that “scores assessing academic reading attitudes increased significantly among the children who read aloud to dogs.” In addition, a 2003 study investigating the effectiveness of Paws for Reading, a program using dogs to improve literacy in children, showed incredible results. Not only did the majority of participants “improve their reading skills by at least two grade levels” in just one academic year, but several of the participants fell in love with Paws for Hearts and “became mentors and introduced others to the program.”

It is very clear that therapy dogs can be a huge help for students who may be struggling with social difficulties, mental health concerns, or low literacy. While these groups may especially benefit from therapy dogs, these wondrous animals can be taken advantage of by anyone for mental health ‘maintenance.’ According to Veterinarian, Dr. Marta Vieira, just petting a dog releases the body’s “feel good” hormones, dopamine and serotonin, leading to a more positive mental state. In addition, research has shown that dogs lower the boy’s cortisol, the main stress hormone that can cause anxiety and depression.

Therapy Dogs In Rochester

Many people are unaware of Rochester’s hidden gem that plays a small but vital role in maintaining the health of our city. Founded by Paul Anthony in 2021, RocDog is a local 501(c)(3) non-profit which aims to support the Rochester community through therapy dog services. The organization’s official mission statement is to:

Provide complete Therapy Dog Services to those in need.

Provide specialized “Therapy Support Dogs” to Special Needs Families. Provide an environment where our Certified Therapy Dogs and Handlers can thrive.

Staying true to their mission, RocDog has networked with over 165 handlers and 128 certified therapy dogs, visiting more than 110 different Western New York facilities including law enforcement agencies, hospitals, senior care facilities, primary and secondary schools, universities, libraries, and more. RocDog has made a profound impact on our community, changing lives, and building the aforementioned benefits of therapy dogs come to fruition.

Ac Takes Its First Steps

On February 9th, Allendale Columbia had its first-ever therapy dog success, then there are not enough hours in the day to be successful. The message is that if we want to succeed, we have to compromise our health.

Instead, we can barely keep our eyes open throughout the school day, forget learning and innovating. By the time 3:00pm rolls around, we have been operating on spare batteries for almost nine hours.

HERE’S WHAT WE DON’T SEE

Experiencing poor sleep leads to high levels of hormones that can raise our blood pressure, which, over time, can damage our hearts. When we continuously do not get the proper amount of sleep we are opening the door for medical complications down the road, such as heart disease and strokes. So now we have to worry about that too?

The Truth Of The Matter

We often sacrifice sleep during the week in hopes of catching up on the weekend. But we never do, and it’s not possible anyway. There is no going back, and according to Harvard Health “...[we] can’t cheat on sleep and get away with it.” The sad truth is, the system is unlikely to change for us, so maybe it is time we reorganize our priorities. Maybe it is time we put our health before a letter grade. Maybe it is time we revolutionize the system for ourselves. • visit from the incredible non-profit, RocDog. During this wonderful event, Upper and Lower Schoolers alike were able to cuddle with the friendly goldendoodle Jonah, and ask the owner, Paul Anthony of RocDog, any questions about therapy dogs and the organization. Overall, Jonah was a big hit across all grade levels; however, my favorite part was watching the third and fourth graders’ faces light up when they saw the adorable pup.

Mr. Anthony told The Howler that he has one primary job when he brings Jonah around: to make people smile. After all of the amazing feedback from students and staff, we can confidently say that the team accomplished their goal. Mr. Anthony and Jonah will be visiting AC once each month for the rest of the school year, so do not worry if you were unable to attend the February event. We hope these regular visits will lead to a strong relationship with RocDog, and a continuing AC therapy dog program for years to come. •

CITATIONS https://rocdog.org/ https://www.therapydogs.com/how-do-therapy-dogs-help-in-theclassroom/#:~:text=There%20is%20intense%20pressure%20on,the%20stimulation%20of%20 social%20behavior. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1173578.pdf https://www.signaturehealthinc.org/blog/blog-feed/the-correlation-between-dogs-andimproved-mental-health/#:~:text=These%20are%20the%20%E2%80%9Cfeel%20good,you%20 know%20can%20release%20oxytocin.