Commonly known as “man’s best friend,” dogs are rarely seen in a classroom setting and more often seen as pets that sit alongside their owners, granting them comfort and affection. However, Ashley Naylor’s QUEST class has recently welcomed a furry friend: a yellow lab named Rio.
Rio comes from a program known as Canine Companions, which coordinates service dogs and facilities dogs for individuals, schools, and businesses. These service dogs hope to provide assistance, promote growth, and allow for independence.
“Imagine for those of us who don’t need a service dog, having to ask someone for help to open a door or to pick up a dropped item, or maybe you can’t hear your name being called or a fire alarm,” Michelle Williams of Canine Companions said in an interview with ABC. “It really is impactful to have these service dogs, and I think it’s wonderful to remember how important they are.”
Normally, getting a service or facilities dog takes about a year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the training and coordination time was drawn out to almost two and a half years. But according to Mrs. Naylor, the wait was worth it.
“The kids are absolutely loving him,” Mrs. Naylor said. “I thought it would be a good fit for our class; there’s research to show that facilities dogs work well with kids with disabilities.
Having Rio in the classroom provides students with an opportunity to not only be able to have stress relief, but also to have some responsibility taking care of him. Although Rio lives with Mrs. Naylor, when he is at school, he is primarily cared for by the Quest students.
“I take him out and on walks sometimes,” Jonathan Desha said. Jonathan, like the other students in the Quest program, has benefited greatly from having Rio in the classroom.
According to Juliette Lane, Rio has been a vital stress reliever on days when school gets to be overwhelming.
“It’s nice to just be able to sit and pet a dog,” Juliette said. “He’s really relaxing to be with and when you have a rough day, he can cheer you up.”
Having Rio in the classroom has already proved beneficial to the students in the QUEST program. As the students learn and grow, Rio will be alongside them doing the same.
To see more about Rio, follow him on Instagram @riothefacilitydog
