There is a new dog on campus, and her name is Lucy. As the younger sister of NAIT’s official therapy dog, Flynn, Lucy is currently in training to join the family business.
Photo of Lucy courtesy: Instagram @flynntherapydog
Lucy is a 3-month-old Australian Labradoodle with a playful personality and a love for cuddles.
Linda Shaw, NAIT’s Student Well-being Facilitator, has been working hard to make sure Lucy is in tip-top shape as she trains to become a therapy dog for the campus.
“I’m trying to teach her to sit when people greet her,” Shaw said, “it’s never too soon to practice that. Flynn sometimes is a bit overwhelmed with the amount of work that he could potentially do and as he gets older, he probably will have to decrease what he does.”
Shaw says having a second dog on campus is extremely beneficial to both the campus and to Flynn. As a wellbeing facilitator, Shaw has noticed the benefit for students seeking help with the counselling services at NAIT.
“I find that having the Paws for a Break program gives the students an opportunity to connect a face with the services of student counselling.” Shaw said, “I do see sometimes the same students coming and making appointments or they’re bringing their friends in…. it opens the door for students to feel more comfortable.”
The faces of both staff and students lit up as she passed by in the halls. Students gushed about how much better they felt after looking at her, playing with her, or even just giving her a scratch. The NAIT community is excited for Lucy and Flynn to join forces to change students’ lives one paw-shake at a time.
