by Tova Sherman
“It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.” –John Grogan on Dogs
August is just around the corner, which means it’s time to celebrate National Dog Month! What better time to share how our therapy dog, Neo, has shaped our agency here at reachAbility.
In 2022 we developed a program called the Pet Project. This initiative was focused on utilizing the power of a pup to create positive welcoming energy in a non-profit, client-serving space. The first step was identifying a dog that was friendly, loving, and able to be trained as a therapy dog.
We reached out to a local trainer, Amanda Van Tassel, and she guided us in introducing Neo, a very gentle Newfoundland-Poodle mix, to life in our office.
Our goals were modest; to have a sweet, hypoallergenic dog to greet clients and guests alike in a gentle, loving way and to enhance wellness in staff by having a cuddly dog around. Neo’s disposition was perfect for the job – so my husband and I adopted her as our own and started introducing her to the reachAbility team.
“A dog can snap you out of any kind of bad mood that you’re in faster than you can think of.” –Jill Abramson.
The results at work were frankly surprising. The response by clients in particular amazed us all. Yes, Neo was cute and cuddly, but more than that she was comforting folks who have had little to no comfort in their lives. I remember one client arrived head down and refused to look up or respond to any inquiries. Quite naturally, Neo walked over put her head on the young woman’s lap, and she looked up smiled and cuddled Neo (who patiently allowed her to lean in). After a few moments she started speaking with a member of our team. This is something we’ve seen many times in the years since bringing Neo into our office. Folks who are in need of connection but who for a number of reasons aren’t comfortable opening up to other people just yet find their barriers lowering when they have a gentle, patient dog at their side.
Seeing Neo enter classes and visit each participant individually is always a treat, but it’s something we’ve done with care and caution. While we know Neo is a sweetheart who wouldn’t hurt a fly, we also know that not everyone is comfortable with dogs, especially one they’ve just met. When Neo is at work there are signs on our office door indicating that a dog is present, and with the guidance of her best buddy and dog wrangler, Evan, we ensure that Neo doesn’t approach anyone unless we know they’re very dog friendly. With a little care and practice we’ve been able to integrate Neo in all we do at reachAbility – and we are all richer for it.
In fact, my favorite Neo story is about a client who was afraid of dogs to the point she was not comfortable if Neo was even within sight. One day Neo and my husband met this client outside the elevator, and the client (quite bravely) decided to ride down to the lobby with them. By the time she got to the ground floor the client called up to our offices to request Neo be in her next counseling session. Neo needed only a few moments to charm and comfort this client.
Having Neo in one-on-one meetings, just resting at the feet of the client gauging their comfort level, it’s remarkable to watch how she responds to shifts in their mood. Dogs just seem to have a natural sense of who needs comfort, and how to quietly and gently provide it to them. It continues to amaze me just how spot on Neo is when it comes to sensing client needs.
As of late we have been receiving numerous requests from government departments, non-profits and mainstream businesses for a visit from Neo. We accommodate all requests we can manage, but we take care not to stress Neo out with too many new friends at once. We love to bring Neo in to smaller offices to meet with a handful of folks at at time and explain what she does at work for us, and the wonderful difference a dog can make in the right workplace.
If you work with folks who need a little extra sensitivity and support, consider adopting your own version of the Pet Project at your workplace. Feel free to reach out to us for any questions or resources you may need. We’ve learned a lot along the way about what works best for our clients and for Neo, and we’re always happy to share those lessons with you and your team.
They say bosses should never play favorites but when it comes to Neo, I’m sorry. How could there be any competition?
Happy National Dog Month, from myself, Neo, and the reachAbility team!
