Therapy dog delights, excites and calms youngsters

Feb. 26—WEST MIDDLESEX — Running back and forth, Duncan excitedly tries stacking stuffed doughnuts on a short pole — and eventually manages to stack a couple, earning him a round of applause and cheers from a class of first-graders at Oakview Elementary School.

While his owner Lori Hainer gives him a little treat, the response from the kids seem to be what excites him the most. But as a trained and certified therapy dog, Duncan always makes sure to stay calm around the children.

"He has these little struts when I bring him into school in the morning," Hainer said of her canine. "He knows it's his building."

Duncan performed a few different tricks for the first-graders Thursday afternoon, from opening a toy microwave to running through a tunnel to rolling over and shaking with his paws. Though they sat spaced apart, the students all cheered for Duncan as he completed each task.

First-grader Zoey Hassell said she was glad whenever Duncan came to visit, whether to display his skills or simply stop by their classroom.

"He likes to sniff around when he comes in," Zoey said.

Classmate Giuliana Ricciardi said she also enjoyed the days when Duncan came by to lift the students' spirits.

"He's really fluffy," Giuliana said.

But there's more to Duncan's visits than just entertainment. The children are learning to wait patiently for their turn to pet Duncan, and how to interact with an animal. And Duncan is encouraging them with their school work, Hainer said.

"Duncan had to learn all of these tricks, just like you guys are learning math," Hainer told the class Thursday between tricks.

A behavior specialist who works with special-needs students, Hainer started at the West Middlesex Area School District last November as a long-term substitute before becoming a permanent staff member. Originally, Hainer said it was just her coming to work at the school district.

But later around the holidays, Hainer said she was reading a book to a class of students and chose a book called "Merry Christmas from Biscuit" for Miriah Mascetta's class since the dog on the cover reminded her of Duncan. As she read the story to the class, Hainer discussed pets and Duncan with the class, and Mascetta ended up asking if Hainer could bring Duncan to class.

Since Duncan was already certified, Hainer approached Oakview Principal Dr. Tammy Mild about bringing in the dog. Mild checked with Superintendent Raymond Omer, and Duncan was ultimately allowed to visit the students for a couple days around Christmas. The children loved it, Hainer said.

Based on that positive reception, Duncan has continued to visit students from kindergarten through sixth grade, based on what his schedule is, Hainer said. The West Middlesex school board later voted unanimously in January to continue Duncan's intermittent visits.

The district's elementary students have mostly had in-person instruction for this school year, along with the necessary guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the students have adapted "very well" to wearing face masks and distancing, Mild said school officials have looked for ways to keep students engaged, from holding virtual field trips to using green-screen backdrops for their morning announcements.

However, having the therapy dog gave the students a chance to resume some of that personal interaction that's been lost due to the pandemic, as well as providing some education toward animals that the students might not receive outside school, Mild said.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for the kids to interact with an animal who's safe and calming, especially since some kids don't have pets or those same opportunities at home," Mild said.

Now seven years old, Duncan has been a certified therapy dog for about four years. Hainer said she has had other therapy dogs in the past, and decided to get Duncan trained when she came to own the dog, who was only three at the time.

Duncan trained in Poland, Ohio, with the group Dogsmartz Unleashed. He is a "K-9 Good Citizen" and registered under the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Hainer said.

Aside from the schools, Duncan visits other places such as the UPMC Horizon and UPMC Jameson hospitals, although Hainer said he's become a popular visitor for the students at Oakview Elementary School, both for brightening up the students' days and occasionally helping to calm students during difficult times.

"One day I was walking into school alongside the buses, and I could hear from inside 'Duncan's here! Duncan's here!' or if we're walking down the hallways and the students hear his collar jingling, they'll start looking out for him," she said.

Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at ddye@sharonherald.com.