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Therapy Dog Program Begins At Clymer School

CLYMER -- Man's best friend can now be found in the halls of Clymer Central School.

Margo, an English springer spaniel, has recently become a certified therapy dog for the school with the help of Nichole Damcott, school social worker and her certified handler.

Damcott said she actually found Margo on Facebook from a woman who breeds these specific dogs. Damcott owns another dog of the same breed and said she decided to get Margo as a certified therapy dog.

"I had gone into another school and I decided, so I am a social worker at the school, it's a different title and a little tricky, I'm here to help kids with all of their needs and help teachers and help parents -- and she had a dog," Damcott said. "I thought, that's so cool, I want a dog in the school."

Damcott said she asked Superintendent Beth Olson, who said they would think about it and try it. Damcott added that she knew her older dog, Sophie, would not do it, so she looked and found Margo on Facebook after debating between her and another male dog.

There are a lot of requirements to become a therapy dog, including being a year old.

The Good Citizens test required Margo to be good with visiting people, behaving in cars, and behaving at places like sports events. Damcott said she took Margo to all of these types of places before taking the test to get her used to it and practicing.

There were 10 things Margo had to do to pass, including sitting, being polite when people pet her, walking, walking through crowds, staying with her handler, following sitting, staying and coming commands.

"I had to walk her through PetSmart, that's where she took her test," Damcott said. "She saw other dogs and she saw other cats and she couldn't bark at them or jump at them, or run away from them because she's a therapy dog and she has to go out to places where she might see other animals and be OK with it."

Margo also had to be able to politely respond to loud noises and stay with the tester without being able to see Damcott for three minutes without whining. She passed her test on Aug. 17.

For the Therapy Dog test, Margo had to do well on her own, reacting to strangers, sitting for one minute, laying down for three minutes, reacting to people or kids when they cry, and reacting to things like shopping carts or wheelchairs that she might not see every day. She had to learn to not eat things off of the floor when told no and when to turn and stay with Damcott.

Margo passed her Therapy Dog test on Sept. 7. The final step was being approved by the school board.

Margo has to wear a blue vest when on duty, and Damcott has to wear her certified handler badge, because no one else can be with her except Damcott unless trained.

Margo is a part of Therapy Dogs United and can sometimes be asked to go to other places to help. In the school she can help with kids who might be stressed, serve as an incentive, and just in general can help make people happy when she's in the room.

At the school, Damcott has a sign outside her office that says when Margo is there in case some kids have concerns. Margo is also learning that when she has the vest on she is working and that she can rest when the vest is not on, as she is not on duty.

Damcott said kids can help by not running off of the bus to greet Margo and not yelling when they see her if they are not upset about something, and by overall being gentle with her.

"While she can let people cry or be upset with her, Margo will never be in a room -- because of my rule -- where I think she might be unsafe," Damcott said. "If I think someone is going to get mad and throw something, which could happen, or kick or hit, I will put her in her crate or she won't be in the room. ... Right now she doesn't know a human could hurt her. She doesn't know a human could be unsafe and I don't want her to think humans can be unsafe. I want her to think humans are safe and kind."

Damcott said that her most important thing that students can do without breaking any teachers' rules is to pet her whenever they can.

"She loves it," Damcott said. "She loves the attention, she loves coming into the school. She gets so excited."