<p>I actually had a professor who brought her dog to every class. Needless to say, it was hard to feel very stressed during exams when I'd look up and see this little dog staring at me :) I never heard that dog bark or disrupt the class in any way.</p>
<p>Looks like more schools are adopting "pet therapy" as students and administrators alike see its value...</p>
<p>Pet</a> therapy popular with stressed college students</p>
<p>They bring in dogs during finals week from the local shelters as pet therapy. </p>
<p>Makes complete sense to me. My dog is a therapy dog and we bring her to hospitals. Always changes the mood of the children instantly.</p>
<p>My school does this.</p>
<p>During Exams week, they fill a room with kittens and puppies from the local animal shelter.</p>
<p>It’s actually really nice and I don’t even like animals.</p>
<p>My school had a “Puppy Day” during finals week too. It really is fun and stress relieving.</p>
<p>We just got an Australian shepherd puppy 9 days ago. Even though I’m going through some stress with one of my sons, that little dog has helped me relax SO thoroughly. It’s hard to feel bad when you watch a black, fluffy ball of fur tumbling through the grass, eating dandelions. It’s impossible not to smile!</p>
<p>Yep we had an event called “puppypalooza” this semester and in the Fall semester as well during finals week. Didn’t make it out to either one but they’ve been very popular.</p>
<p>Brown University has a popular event during the week before finals, and on other times where local students and faculty bring their pets out to the main green for a pet therapy, hug the puppies time for students called, in typical Brown style, “Heavy Petting”.</p>
<p>The company of my pets is very soothing when I’m under stress. Since I can’t bring them along to college, I love this kind of event.</p>
<p>I love the simple idea that teachers and colleges are trying to do something concrete to help with student stress during exam time. Instead of telling students different methods of how to handle stress they are just offering the most basic type of contact. Putting a friendly dog in front of someone is a natural attractant.</p>
<p>I used to try and take short walks between classes and study breaks where i got moving around. Just taking my body away for a few minutes was a big help sometimes. Playing though, like with a dog, does sound a lot better.</p>
<p>I told my daughter that she should have some m and m candies with her during exams at school. She said the test was in the library and the test moderator didn’t allow food of any kind. That is unfortunate. In college, i would always have a bag with me just for during the test. Between the chocolate, the sugar, the bolt of caffeine and the flavor i was able to stay focused through the whole thing. It kept my stress away because of the joy of chocolate, i guess.</p>
<p>SGA at my school has ‘rent-a-dog’ every month where for $8 you can play with a dog out in the quad for an hour. The dogs come from the local Humane Society. I haven’t had the chance to participate but I hear it’s great stress relief and the proceeds go to the Humane Society.</p>
<p>Dog allergies… <em>grumble</em></p>
<p>This is a great idea. I work from a home office most of the time, and if the day is particularly hectic I like to take a break on my patio love seat, where my dog almost always joins me. Nothing like a 75-pound dog sprawled on your lap and licking your ears to get your mind off business for a few minutes!</p>
<p>My school does this. Usually a week or two before midterms week or finals week, the counseling center would set up a de-stress event out by one of the main buildings. It really helps, since you can’t really think about anything else when you have those big adorable eyes looking at you.</p>
<p>@excelblue… Is it dog hair that bothers you? Many therapy organizations will have non-shedding dogs like Poodles in their stable in order to accommodate folks like you. I do reading therapy with my Standard Poodle and we work with a lot of kids with pet hair allergies. </p>
<p>Anyway, this is a great idea. I live in a college town and I’m going to pitch this to the people who coordinate our therapy group.</p>
<p>TUFTS does it too…pets are very nice!</p>
<p>D1 will be starting college this fall - less than 3 hours away - close enough that I can bring her dog along for a visit or two. Beautiful area, great for walks and hikes :)</p>
<p>Some colleges have pet dorms and my daughter said that it really helped students through the year, especially during finals.</p>
<p>Pet Therapy is also very big in Assisted Living and nursing homes .</p>
<p>I must be the only dissenting note. I can’t stand dogs and find being in their proximity disturbing on a visceral level. If someone brought a dog to my workplace, I would lock myself in my office. I do, however, think that the idea of rent a pet to raise money is interesting and I am going to suggest it to my D, who is a volunteer coordinator at her school. This is because I realize that I am in the minority in my extreme dislike of dogs.</p>
<p>What do you do with your dog when you’re away for classes? If you have a lab, wouldn’t it mess everything up out of boredom?</p>