(Feb. 9, 2017) When guidance counselor Jessi Bova made the jump from Delmar Elementary to Pocomoke High this year, she didn’t know the offer included her dog.
Rudy, a 7-year-old golden retriever Bova fostered and then adopted from a rescue organization, was already well-known to the students and staff of Delmar Elementary as part of the Pets on Wheels Delmarva program. Through the initiative, volunteer and pet teams are dispatched to assisted-living facilities, schools, nursing homes and other approved services.
“He’s been given a temperament test and been judged on a couple of dozen criteria to see how he reacts to stimuli,” Bova said.
Golden retrievers are generally docile animals, but strong reactions to certain situations are possible. Rudy, for example, is a little forceful in his desire for attention and thinks nothing of wedging his face into the crook of an elbow, or using his muzzle to deftly flick a reporter’s note-taking hand off a pad of paper and on to the canine’s head — perfectly placed for ear scratches.
Bova said that behavior can be problematic in certain assisted-living facilities, but in high school it’s both warranted and necessary.
“He’s been to the Delmar kids’ academy, been read to by Delmar students and kids at the Ocean Pines Library, I take him anywhere I can,” she said.
Rudy pretty much has the run of Bova’s office and surrounding area, as he tired of certain expertly delivered ear scratches in favor of more fertile grounds several times during the course of the conversation.
In practice, his duties are much the same. Rudy is stationed outside the office during transition times — as students move from one class to another — and stops in at the alternative classroom, where students experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulty are placed, at least once per day.
Another student requested Rudy’s presence as she sat for an exam. The calming effect of the dog, according to principal Dr. Annette Wallace, allowed the student to focus on the test.
“Our kids come to us needing services — 70 percent of our students come from poverty, and we have to be parents, teachers, disciplinarians — everything. We build the family from within the schools and Rudy is now a part of that family,” Wallace said.
Rudy, in short, helps. But how he helps can’t always be quantified.
“There’s no tangible evidence or measure of what he’s doing for the kids and staff,” she said, but the things Rudy provides aren’t easily measured in the first place.
Wallace herself is an example. Admittedly not a dog person, Wallace couldn’t help but succumb to Rudy’s affections and found herself casually stroking his head or ears whenever he decided it was her turn to pay him attention.
These factors aid reporters in doing their jobs by relaxing interviewees, and Bova in her responsibilities as a guidance counselor.
“I do some scheduling and academics,” Bova said, “but for the counseling piece, it’s nice to have him in here with me.”
Rudy wasn’t the first choice, however. When Wallace was named principal of the year for Maryland in 2016, the award came with ceremonies and networking opportunities.
During a talk with some of her colleagues, the topic of therapy dogs came up as another principal’s pet project. Wallace said she was intrigued by the idea and started asking around.
“We were looking for a Labradoodle, because of the concern over allergies, and we lined up a vet to donate services and a groomer, but it didn’t work out,” she said.
At a lunch, where Bova was present, Wallace said she was lamenting how the project had stalled.
Bova spoke up about Rudy, and how he was already qualified to serve.
“We started planning the transition right there,” Wallace said.
Though Rudy is not as hypoallergenic as other breeds, Wallace said it hasn’t been an issue so far, and said high school students are more able to manage their own conditions, like a dog allergy, much better than younger students.
Right now the issue is to ensure there’s enough Rudy to go around. Pocomoke students had finals last week, and drained the dog thoroughly as everyone else.
“He was exhausted after finals,” Wallace said. “We have to make sure it’s not too stressful for him.”
Other schools have also shown interest. Wallace said she’s fielded a number of questions from other schools about the benefits of a dog like Rudy.
“Having him with a guidance counselor is perfect — he’s not in one particular classroom and isn’t attached to a particular teacher,” she said.
Making him equally available to anyone he wants to scratch his ears.