At BMS, Therapy Dogs Help Students Cope, Learn Responsibility

It is evident within minutes of meeting Sandy and Sable that they love humans.

Sandy, a two-year-old yellow labrador, and Sable, a four-year-old “bullador” — a bulldog/labrador mix — are therapy dogs at Bourbon Middle School. Sandy is owned by eighth grade math teacher Donna Sanborn and Sable is the dog of BMS Principal Brian Witt. 

Sanborn instructs Sandy to sit for a photo, but it lasts for just a few seconds. She shimmies her hips and gets to her feet so she can be petted. Minutes later, Witt will take Sable to sixth grade teacher Marcus Bailey’s classroom where she will wander up to the students with a baseball that she has apparently savaged. Each student Sable greets pets her and she couldn’t look happier.

“They are attention hogs,” Witt said. “They eat it up.”

Sandy and Sable aren’t Bourbon’s first therapy dogs. Sanborn began bringing Izzy on campus six years ago. Izzy passed away, but Sanborn realized how beneficial she was. Then came Sandy, who regularly comes to school.

Witt’s wife was a principal at St. Clair and had used Sable as a therapy dog. She retired from that position and Witt began bringing in Sable around the time Izzy passed away.

Witt said Sable was beneficial in dealing with behavorial and mood issues. 

“They are primarily used for de-escalation,” Witt said. “If a student is having a hard time or upset it’s amazing how interjecting the dog changes their mood so quickly.”

Sandy and Sable are not only used for therapy, but also positive reinforcement and classroom instruction. Through the Positive Behavior System, students can earn rewards to spend time with the dogs. Some students like to read to them. In the life skills, they are used to help teach responsibility.

Many students bond with the dogs and gives them something to look forward to, Witt said.

Neither dog is shy around humans, which is a quality therapy dog owners seek out.

When choosing a dog to be used for therapeutical purposes, Sanborn said they have to look for certain things. 

“You have to be careful on selection. They need to be outgoing and not scared. They can’t be shy or skittish,” Sanborn said. 

Sanborn recounted how earlier in the school year she overheard a fifth grade student expressing how he couldn’t wait for Monday so that he could see Sandy.

“They just love her,” Sanborn said. “They protect her, they pet her, they take pictures with her. She brings so many smiles and joy.”