<p>I just read on a thread about how some colleges bring in puppies during final exam week to help relieve stress. I also had read somewhere else where puppies and kittens are brought in to help students who are missing the family pets. Could you please name some colleges that do this? Also how often and for how long. My son would love to start this at his college and would like to be able to cite some examples. I would think this would help a lot of students and is a wonderful idea.</p>
<p>Interesting concept. I find puppies and kittens to be very cute, but certainly not a solution for stress. I would be really worried about the puppy or kitten having an accident in my room or on my bed or something. Additionally, their energy level is so high. But a young student might have an entirely different perspective.</p>
<p>Hi Ristosmom…Elon University in NC did this for fall finals…there is a thread elsewhere on CC that mentioned other schools…</p>
<p>SUNY Cortland does this every semester during finals week, along with other stress relieving activities such as arts and crafts and massage chairs. They actually expanded it starting last year to two days during finals because it was so popular. </p>
<p>How it works is that it’s people from the community and some people who work on campus bring their dogs to the campus for windows of an hour or two, and take them to the event room. They are all separated by dividers, and they get plenty of treats and water. I honestly think that in general, the dogs enjoy this as much as the people do. They tend to be wagging their tails like crazy and rolling on the ground enjoying the parade of students giving them treats and belly scratches. They are only there for a while so they don’t get too overheated or overwhelmed, and there are four or so there at the same so if one of them gets too excited their owners can take them away. </p>
<p>It’s a really wonderful program and people always leave it with smiles on their faces. :)</p>
<p>University of Rochester did this a couple times this semester but not during finals week. They were adult dogs brought in to relieve stress. As someone who misses her dog back home I think it’s great. I dont know about during finals though. There are already too many distractions as it is. Like me posting on cc right now!</p>
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<p>That would be more my speed. :)</p>
<p>Wisconsin does this every spring right before finals</p>
<p>[UHS</a> “counseling canines” ready for annual pet therapy study break (May 3, 2010)](<a href=“http://www.news.wisc.edu/18033]UHS”>UHS “counseling canines” ready for annual pet therapy study break)</p>
<p>It’s a great way to play with some dogs and get some “therapy.” I swing by the event every year and I think it’s great!</p>
<p>The law school at George Mason has “Puppy Day.”</p>
<p>[The</a> Return of Puppy Day - George Mason Law](<a href=“StackPath”>StackPath) </p>
<p>[Cuddly</a> puppies help law students de-stress before exams - The Washington Post](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/cuddly-puppies-help-law-students-de-stress-before-exams/2011/12/01/gIQA0s9LIO_story.html]Cuddly”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/cuddly-puppies-help-law-students-de-stress-before-exams/2011/12/01/gIQA0s9LIO_story.html)</p>
<p>Way back in the mid to late Seventies, Hamilton and Kirkland Colleges use to allow students to keep pets on campus. One of my suite mates actually kept her sweet golden retriever (Reesa) in our suite. She was like a campus celebrity. Everyone loved her. Of course, I understand why that practice was ended. Too many problems with pets on campus. My suite mate was a very responsible pet owner, and Reesa was well trained and extremely well behaved. But, there were indeed problems with other animals on campus who were not well cared for, or who were very destructive.</p>
<p>But, it sounds like these guest pet visits might be just the ticket for students who need a bit of stress relief and puppy love.</p>
<p>McGill University:
[Puppy</a> Love at McGill - YouTube](<a href=“Puppy Love at McGill - YouTube”>Puppy Love at McGill - YouTube)</p>
<p>They didn’t have a lot of puppies but at my older daughters school, the profs often brought their dogs to class.
[url=<a href=“This is Reed - Reed College”>This is Reed - Reed College]Reed</a> College | Admission | Reed College Admission Office<a href=“they%20also%20have%20a%20cat%20dorm”>/url</a></p>
<p>Animal Planet had a segment on their show, “Must Love Cats” about a college which allows pets in certain dorms. A search of their web site should yield info.</p>
<p>What a great concept! My D goes to school in a large city and once in a while I’ll see a photo she posted of someone else’s puppy or dog that was out for a walk. She misses her dog and secretly wants to get a puppy, but luckily she remembers the havoc a young puppy can cause as they’re learning the people rules (no eating checkbooks, no peeing in the house, no barking because you want breakfast before the humans wake up, etc.). I hope someone near her school recruits some puppies for students to cuddle.</p>
<p>Pomona and Tufts also do this. The Yale Law Library has a dog that can be checked out for short stretches (30 minutes IIRC). </p>
<p>I’d check with hospitals local to your son’s school to find out about therapy dog programs.</p>
<p>Better yet, why not just encourage your son to get a part-time job walking a dog? Your tuition bill won’t go up to pay for doggie campus visits, your son will earn money, and he’ll get lots of one-on-one doggy loving time. Everyone wins! I’ve tried selling this concept to my D1 (whose school offers doggie destressing sessions), to no avail.</p>
<p>(and I just noticed I can’t decide between doggie and doggy 
)</p>
<p>I didn’t see them, but I remember at UMich a few days ago (Tuesday? Maybe Wednesday?) in the UGLI people talking about there being dogs somewhere in the library.</p>
<p>At my college a group that I’m involved with did a study break with the proctors’ and house master’s dogs, and that was a wonderful success. What we did was: emails sent out beforehand to mailing lists, and then dogs, food, and fruit smoothies all in one room :). Along with paper crafts and a cozy fireplace. Ristosmom, thank you for making this thread: I’m thinking about starting a similar program like what you’ve described, but so far it hasn’t progressed beyond the random, crazy idea stage. </p>
<p>I also volunteer at animal shelter back home, and those animals are always in need of socialization. Wouldn’t it be great if one can combine shelter volunteering with student mental health, so that there would be an easy way for someone stressed by finals to stop by a shelter to play with the residents for a few hours, or being able to bring shelter animals to a college campus. (Though there may be potential problems with that, and there’s no animal shelter close by for us.)</p>
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<p>I would love to but not sure how to get started. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>My D loves to see dogs being walked through her campus and has gotten to know some of the dogs/owners over time. She started a pet-sitting business when she was 12 and loves dogs.</p>
<p>Her college doesn’t do this, but both her elementary and her high school had therapy dogs in the counseling office. Her senior year in HS for spring semester she was an office aid in the counseling office, and having a dog in the office was such a great bonus.</p>
<p>My son’s school (Bates) brings in puppies during exam week for the students to play with. DS played with an adorable labbie puppy. Bates also offers free massages but you need to sign up for that in advance.</p>
<p>Asked DS if his school does anything similar and he snorted and said they had free doughnuts for about an hour and that was it. Guess kids had to find own stress relief…hope made wise choices!</p>
<p>Muhlenberg did this (adult dogs). They also allow the kids to build forts in the library during finals week when it’s open 24/7. That was a big hit with my daughter.</p>