Furry friends provide comfort to airport travelers

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 8/13/15

Don’t be surprised if you see some furry friends strolling through T.F. Green Airport the next time you’re catching a flight.

Thanks to PVD Pups, the airport’s newest therapy dog program, …

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Furry friends provide comfort to airport travelers

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Don’t be surprised if you see some furry friends strolling through T.F. Green Airport the next time you’re catching a flight.

Thanks to PVD Pups, the airport’s newest therapy dog program, seven recently graduated dogs and their owners will stroll the terminal to comfort anxious flyers.

Walking through the airport the pups were just as excited as passengers, their tails wagging as people kept coming up to pet them. Their biggest fans seemed to be young children who would hug the dogs after a few pets.

Even those who didn’t stop could be heard excitedly saying “Look at the dog” or “Oh a puppy.”

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s Executive Services Administrator Liberty Luciano, reached out to Susan Parker, co-owner of Dynamic Dog Training, about piloting the program in March 2014. It was launched yesterday afternoon. Luciano had seen similar programs on her travels.

“I just saw the benefit it was bringing to other airports and I thought it could do a lot here,” she said.

Parker reached out to some of her best doggy students and their owners for volunteers and the program came together.

All of the dogs had previously been in Dynamic Dog Training’s Canine Good Citizen class when Parker realized they “had the makings of great therapy dogs.”

After the nine-week intensive training course the dogs graduated and were officially certified on Aug. 8.

The graduates are Dakota, a husky; Molly, a goldendoodle; Fenway, a golden retriever; Atticus, an old English bulldog rescued from Providence Animal Control; Bonnie, a lab hound mix rescued from the New England Humane Society; Sadie, a pitbull mix rescued from the Cranston Animal Shelter; and PVD Pups mascot and Parker’s own mutt, Theodore Francis Green, or “Teddy” for short.

Parker said all the dogs had a strong background in obedience and could remain calm and comfortable in the “high stimulation” environment of the airport.

“You have people rushing around, crying kids, luggage and carts moving every which way, it takes a special dog to handle all that,” Parker said.

The group practiced on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings. The first few classes were just to see if the dogs would be able to work within the hectic environment of the airport and then they “upped the ante” working on heeling and staying skills and some tricks to entertain young children.

Parker said the making of a good therapy dog is a good temperament, obedience and a “general love of people.”

Their owners also received training as handlers to be certified to volunteer at the airport.

The dogs will walk the terminals wearing green vests that say “Pet me.” Like everyone else, the dogs and their handlers must clear security. The dogs have their vests and leashes taken off to be scanned. The handlers and dogs have to go through the process for every potty break as well.

With seven dogs the program will not run all day every day, but will operate on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, focusing on high traffic times.

Parker will continue hosting PVD Pups training courses to hopefully expand the program at T.F. Green. The next session would be at the end of September early October, after the pilot group gets more secure in their positions.

“Our job is to alleviate stress and anxiety around flying,” Parker said.

She said that although the dogs would be very helpful to first-time or wary flyers, there are multiple reasons someone could be stressed out and worried at the airport.

“It’s easy to think that everyone is just off on vacation, and that there isn’t a need for comfort but there really is,” Parker said.

PVD dogs will also be able to comfort people for things as small as a missed or delayed flight, businessmen who have to leave their families at home, to those who may be seeing a sick or passed loved one.

Parker said that you never know what a person is going through, and therapy dogs are able to provide comfort no matter the circumstances.

Even without stress, people genuinely enjoy the company of dogs Parker said.

“It’s a win-win situation all around,” Parker said. “We want to make their stay at the airport and to Rhode Island as cozy and enjoyable as possible.”

For more information on Dynamic Dog Training, the PVD Pup program and any new volunteer opportunities visit www.dynamicdogstraining.webs.com or their Facebook page.

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