Therapy dog at Wright State helps students feel at ease

Hazel, a certified therapy dog, joined Wright State’s Counseling and Wellness Services in August.

Wright State University’s Counseling and Wellness Services has enlisted the services of a furry friend to provide additional comfort to clients. While the financial terms of her agreement have not been disclosed, she has rapidly become an asset.

Hazel, a certified therapy dog, joined the Counseling and Wellness team in August to provide emotional support to students and staff who are attending therapy sessions. A 2-year-old Cavapoo, a mix between a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and a poodle, Hazel has been integrated into counseling sessions to help students feel more at ease when discussing personal challenges.

Her owners, David Toller, a counselor at Wright State, and his wife, Amanda Thompson, note Hazel’s calm presence in their home.

“Once we got a sense of her personality and how much she helps us with challenges in our lives, we decided to take this a step further to try and give back to the community in some way,” Toller said. “We also started thinking about a possible role for her here at Wright State and how she could lift the morale of our students and staff.”

David and Amanda decided to get Hazel certified as a therapy dog. She completed the necessary training during an eight-week period during the summer. The couple also attended courses to become certified to ensure that Hazel would be trained to provide emotional support. The coursework acquired skills to properly oversee Hazel and prepare her for community service.

She also completed on-site evaluations and was certified in May.

Hazel has already become a favorite of students at Wright State.

“Some students are anxious about coming into counseling. But they know the benefits of having a dog present to talk about some challenging topics,” Toller said. “For the first five minutes, Hazel greets students during my introduction. I may encourage her to approach the student if the topic of discussion is especially difficult. And Hazel’s presence makes students a little more open to discussing things.”

Toller is the only certified handler on Wright State’s Counseling and Wellness staff, so he must always be present with Hazel while she is on campus. He said many students request to collaborate with him because of her calm influence, although they must sign a waiver in advance.

Toller said students are becoming more aware of Hazel’s positive influence at Wright State.

“This is a common environment for her. Hazel goes to daycare weekly to play with other dogs, so she is well socialized,” Toller said. “I try to bring her into the office every Tuesday and Wednesday and accommodate any requests for her.”

Toller describes young Hazel as having “puppy energy.” Hazel enjoys walks and has been integrated into university and community programs. She has attended a breast cancer walk on campus and Coffee Hours for Counselors.

Although Hazel is gentle and kind and has already become a favorite at Wright State, Toller hopes to enroll Hazel in training to help her know when and how to approach students.

“Our professional staff and students have been welcoming and excited about Hazel’s presence on campus,” Toller said. “Hazel loves human attention and interaction. She is just a sweet dog. Hazel is a team member for sure. She is special.”