Districts Gains a Furry Friend
If you visit Lonedell School, you will see over 300 kids of varying ages, 50 plus staff members working hard, and one adorably furry fellow named Bear. Mrs. Brissette, Middle School Math teacher, introduced Bear near the end of first semester. He is a 14 pound Schnoodle, which is a specialty breed that is half toy poodle and half miniature schnauzer. Bear was a surprise gift for Mrs. Brissette from her husband, and is 18 months old. Early on, Brissette saw the potential for Bear to become a therapy dog. "There is so much stress on young people and therapy pets have been proven to help them feel less anxious. Bear showed a great propensity toward doing well at this, so we went for it," said Brissette.
Brissette and Bear started working with professional dog trainer Kevin Staude with Canine Dimensions when Bear was five months old. The training began at home until Bear mastered the basics. After Bear became comfortable, the training began in public places. Key items covered were interacting with strangers, adjusting to unusual spaces, not reacting to strangers or other dogs by jumping or barking. This training went on for six months. At the end of the training program, Bear passed the test and was certified with the AKC as a Canine Good Citizen.
Once Bear reached one year old in July, he and Brissette tested with Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Bear passed all those tests as well. The hardest part of the test for him was ignoring the other dogs testing. The dogs are not allowed to interact with each other at all. "Bear loves other dogs and wanted to play," explained Brissette. Once he was certified, Brissette presented to the Board of Education, explaining what a therapy dog in her classroom would look like and the benefits it offered to the middle school students. The Board quickly agreed, and Bear was officially accepted as a new member of the Lonedell family. Bear's first day of school was November 2.
Bear comes to school two days a week. He enjoys seeing the students, and they enjoy seeing him. It appears that the biggest impact is seen in students who might struggle in social settings and making friends. "It's so nice to see those students who might not interact with others light up on a Bear day," stated Brissette. Bear is kept in Brissette's math classroom. As we know, math can sometimes be stressful, and Bear will comfort students who are anxious, or just enjoy being quietly cuddled during lessons. Brissette and Bear also visit St. Clair Nursing Center to assist with the residents when they can.