Daycares & K-12 School Therapy Animal Wellness Visit

🐾 Paws on Campus: Therapy Dogs in Schools & Daycares

🐶 Building Confidence, Comfort, and Connection
Paws on Campus brings certified therapy dogs to daycares, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. Whether it’s supporting little ones with transitions, providing stress relief during exams, or simply spreading joy in the classroom, our therapy dogs create moments of calm and connection that benefit students, staff, and the wider school community.

🐕 How It Works

• Campus & Classroom Visits: Therapy dogs visit classrooms, libraries, or common areas for structured or drop-in sessions.

• Small Group Interactions: Children interact in small groups to ensure safety, comfort, and meaningful connections.

• Confidence-Building Activities: Kids can give simple commands (sit, paw, down) and see the dogs respond, boosting confidence and encouraging positive leadership.

• Mindfulness & Responsibility: Students learn how to calmly approach, pet, and care for therapy dogs — building responsibility, mindfulness, and respect.

• Social & Emotional Support: Dogs help ease first-day jitters, separation anxiety, stressful test weeks, and encourage peer-to-peer interaction.

• Handler Supervision: Every visit is led by a trained handler who ensures safe and positive experiences for both students and dogs.
  
  

🌟 Who Benefits

• Daycare & Preschool Children developing empathy, patience, and early social skills

• Elementary & Middle School Students learning responsibility, confidence, and respect through guided interactions

• High School Students finding stress relief, mindfulness, and a sense of calm during busy academic schedules

• Teachers & Staff enjoying the community-building and wellness benefits alongside their students
  
  

💖 Why It Works

• Builds confidence as students succeed in giving commands and seeing results

• Encourages responsibility in caring for and respecting animals

• Promotes mindfulness through calm, intentional interactions

• Strengthens respect and empathy for others (human and animal alike)

• Improves socialization and communication skills through shared experiences
  
  

🌈 School & Community Impact
Therapy dog visits show families, teachers, and communities that schools value not only academic growth but also the emotional well-being of students. These visits strengthen bonds across classrooms and campuses, leaving lasting, positive memories.

📚 Interested in Literacy Programs?
For schools and families seeking our dedicated reading program, check out Stampede to Read 

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Backed By Science

Benefits of Therapy Dogs in K–12 Schools

Therapy dogs in school settings are shown to reduce anxiety, support emotional regulation, improve behavior, and foster a safer, more inclusive environment. Here’s what the research and stories say:

Dogs in Bay Area Schools Bring Joy to Kids (San Francisco Chronicle, 2025)

Therapy dogs visiting schools—such as Brixton at Sacred Heart Cathedral—have been found to boost student self-esteem, reduce stress, improve attendance, and enhance behavior. Schools like those in Menlo Park City and Madera Unified are incorporating facility dogs and therapy dogs to offer nonjudgmental emotional support, especially around exam times.
"Pets are just non-judgmental. Pets offer an emotionally safe place to learn." 

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Comfort Dog Program Helps Students Boost Confidence (New York Post, 2024)

New York City’s Comfort Dog Program features therapy dogs like “Chip,” which help students lower anxiety and enhance emotional engagement during targeted interventions. These interactions promote motivation, emotional openness, and a sense of calm among students.
"If Chip can make mistakes and does better next time, I know I can, too." 

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Therapy Dog on Staff at Chatham High (Times Union, 2025)

At Chatham High School, Hudson the therapy dog supports both students and staff by creating a compassionate school environment. Trained and certified through Therapy Dogs International, Hudson helps individuals open up emotionally and manage stress, even during challenging life events.
"His presence has positively impacted the school environment, fostering new relationships and encouraging students who may struggle to open up." 

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Therapy Dog Brightens Staten Island Academy (New York Post, 2024)

Tigger, a Goldendoodle therapy dog at Staten Island Academy, has eased student anxiety and stress. By participating in school activities—from outdoor time to special events—Tigger has improved student mood, lowered stress markers like blood pressure, and enhanced social skills.
"Research supports the positive impact of therapy dogs, showing they can improve moods, lower stress and blood pressure, and enhance social skills."

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Therapy Dogs and Neuro-Emotional Benefits in Schools (Effective School Solutions blog, 2024)

Therapy dogs offer critical support for neurodivergent students by encouraging social interaction, empathy, and recognition of social cues. They also serve as calming, trauma-informed care partners — helping students emotionally reset and build trust with caregivers. Physiologically, their presence helps reduce blood pressure and increase oxytocin levels—promoting emotional balance.
"A lot of kids can’t be present, but when a dog is there, there’s just something. He grounds them in a way that sometimes we humans can’t."

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