U of G’s Take a Paws program gives students the chance to shake off their stress by spending time with trained therapy dogs on campus. The program has expanded to make these stress-relieving dog cuddles available throughout the academic year.

Students who have spent time with therapy dogs report that the experience helps lower participants’ stress, decrease anxiety and increase their happiness and energy level.

Denyse Gray is the campus coordinator for the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program. Students are increasingly eager to participate in Take a Paws, she said.

“A lot of them have dogs back in their homes and they miss them a lot,” Gray said. “They feel so good about being close to a dog again. For all the students, the idea of being with a dog who is so happy to see them makes them feel really special. We have a lot of repeat students, who say it just makes their day.”

What to expect

During Take a Paws sessions, students make rounds through the meeting space to visit between two and four trained therapy dogs. The dogs’ handlers help students interact with the pups. Students have 15 minutes with the dogs before the next group gets its turn.

Photos and bios of the Take a Paws dogs and their human partners are available online. The program is run in partnership with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program and Therapeutic Paws of Canada.

How to schedule your Take a Paws visit

Take a Paws sessions run every Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The program cycles through four different locations on campus.

Register for an upcoming session through the Take a Paws page on GryphLife.