When Copper comes out to the B.F. Kitchen Elementary School playground, half a dozen children run over as if the blue vest on the school therapy dog is magnetized.
“Hi, buddy,” 10-year-old Christina Sible said Thursday afternoon, bending down to pet Copper, a certified therapy and facility dog. “I love dogs. I love animals. He just lifts my spirits during the day. He just makes everyone happy.”
Copper, a nearly three-year-old golden retriever whose birthday is on April 3, works at the Loveland school Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. He helps out with playground duty during recess, assists the crossing-guard on Monday mornings and provides support in the classroom, the counseling office and during after-school programs.
“Copper loves kids. He has loved kids since he was a little puppy,” said Jennifer VonLintel, school counselor at B.F. Kitchen and Copper’s owner. “Seeing him light up and the tail wagging and having the kids around affirms to me that it’s a great fit.”
When VonLintel brings Copper to school, the students greet him first before they greet her, which she takes as a good sign.
“You want to make sure the kids like the dog,” she said.
VonLintel decided to get involved in therapy dogs after a Human Animal Bond in Colorado, or HABIC, handling team visited the school in 2009 to help counsel students through a Colorado State University research grant. She started training Copper, who was four months at the time, for the next 18 months through Canine Community Heroes in Greeley.
In October 2011, VonLintel began bringing Copper to the school. She doesn’t know of any other schools in Thompson School District who have therapy dogs on site throughout the school year.
“He can safely work around people, particularly around children,” VonLintel said.
A good therapy dog, she said, can stay calm in varying circumstances, such as dozens of children in the hallways, fire alarms going off for drills and smells of food coming from the cafeteria.
The Reading Retriever program, where students work on their reading goals by reading to him or explaining what they just read.
“It’s a lot of fun just reading to a dog,” VonLintel said. “They’re very attentive listeners.”
Reading to a dog is “a little touch of home,” said Jane Askham, library media assistant.
“He’s easy to relate to. They really trust him,” she said.
Animal-assisted therapy, working in the counseling office alongside VonLintel as she helps students on their social and emotional goals, such as attention, organization and communication. Or he’s there when staff needs to break tough news to a student as a source of comfort.
Positive incentive and reward programs, where students who meet their attendance or behavior goals, such as taking a walk with him or engaging in a 10-minute play session.
Dog safety presentations, where he visits classrooms with VonLintel when she demonstrates safe dog handling.
Copper also is present during the Tiger Trekkers summertime family hikes on dog approved trails and Tiger Tutors, an after-school tutoring program on Tuesdays. Fourth- and fifth-graders tutor the younger students on their homework, while also developing mentoring and leadership skills.
“Kids that are struggling, that are having problems, this is a bright spot in the day for them,” said Pat Geddes, kindergarten teacher. “If they’re having troubles … it let’s them have a furry, friendly face around.”
~ Courtesy of Reporter Herald
Tags: Canine Community Heroes, dog at school, dog counsels students, Therapy dog
