Dogs can be your best employees in the workplace! They don’t complain, they always keep a friendly work atmosphere, and best of all, they always wear a smile when you see them.
Several institutions are now employing dogs because they believe that dogs can make a difference in the workplace. They are hired as therapy dogs, grief therapy dogs, or working dogs. They are also good at their jobs, that is why they are the most popular employees in the company.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, just hired their first two four-legged employees to join their workforce: Huckleberry, a Golden Doodle, and Puggle, a Golden Retriever. They are assigned to work at the Child Life Department under St. Jude Paws at Play Facility Dog Program.
Huckleberry and Puggle will be handled and taken care of by Child Life specialists Brittany Reed and Shandra Taylor. They were trained under Canine Assistants, a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in training service dogs.
The Paws at Play Facility Dog Program will help children confined in the hospital by providing therapeutic support by distracting them from their illness and whatever symptoms and pain they feel. The two dogs would also be catering to the child’s need for social interaction. Also, the dogs would be giving unconditional acceptance and love to the young patients.
The Child Life Department of St. Jude aims to help children overcome the challenges of hospital confinement and health care. The department is composed of 19 full-time child life specialists who will offer their services to all families in the hospital regardless of their medical cases.
Huckleberry and Puggle would be meeting four to six patients a day, with plenty of rests in-between visits also to keep their well-being intact.
Britanny is excited to introduce the dogs to their patients. She wanted to see the positive effects of the presence of the dog in the child’s recovery.
Know more about Huckleberry and Puggle’s work at St. Jude’s Instagram account.
Photos courtesy of stjudepaws via Instagram
