Copper, a new therapy dog at UC High, is helping to motivate students and reduce stress, which helps to improve mental health and create a more supportive work environment for students and staff.

   “Copper is a two-and-a-half-year-old Goldendoodle. He is what’s called a Facility Dog, which means that his training enables him to be used in a place of work. In addition to schools, facility dogs are placed in health care offices, criminal justice placements, therapy settings, such as occupational, speech, and physical therapy, and child life specialists,” said Dr. Laura Alles, who is not only UC High’s school psychologist but also the owner of Copper.

   “Dogs are a great way to increase communication with students. Students who are not comfortable talking to adults may feel at ease getting to know the dog first. They can be used to enhance responsiveness to primary skills such as object recognition and categorization. Having time with a dog can be a great motivator for any student reluctant to work on their goals,” said Alles.

   According to a site about therapy dogs, “Having a dog around can greatly improve students’ moods while in the classroom. Therapy dogs in schools have been used to help special needs students, especially those suffering from social anxiety or anger issues. These dogs improve student-to-student relationships and even teacher-to-student relationships” (puppington.com).

   “Right now, Copper is just getting used to all the new noises, smells, and spaces. Once we get over that hurdle, I am planning on bringing him to classes when requested, perhaps before tests or presentations to alleviate some stress. I plan to use him in some of our more specialized classrooms, with students working on different skills specific to their needs,” said Alles.

   “I’ve seen [Copper] around school and in the Media Center. He is so cute and I’m really excited to get to know him better this school year,” said Sophomore Carola Cacci.

   “So far, Copper’s time here has been going really well. These first few months will be more about getting Copper acclimated to the environment. He has to take all of his training and now apply it to this whole new environment.  So far, he is getting a lot of smiles and seems to be well received,” said Alles.

    According to a site about the benefits of therapy dogs, “Visits by therapy dogs to educational settings have been associated by researchers with many benefits. These include improvements in children’s behavior, reduced anxiety, increased self-esteem, enhanced motivation and overall well-being” (theohiostateuniversity.com).

“Socializing is the main thing Copper is building up to. I have noticed that he makes it until about 1 or 2 and then he is done socializing. Over time, as he gets used to what is expected of him, he will be able to last longer,” said Alles.

   “Copper loves to play. He would love to play with our other dog, Ruby, but she is pretty grumpy.  Copper has a lot of toys that he would love to play with but his grumpy sister steals them. She doesn’t want them. She just doesn’t want Copper to have them. Ah, siblings!” said Alles.