Smiles and fur filled the Zuberano Lawn as students took a break from studying to ease their stress. Puppy Love, held on Monday, gave students a chance to put down their books and relax with some furry friends. Spending time with these dogs gave students a chance to decompress during these busy weeks.
“I was exhausted from practice and going to classes this morning and coming here, I feel recharged,” said Addison Sirianni, a freshman at Chaminade who stopped by between her classes. “Being able to pet these dogs is reminding me of my dog back home.”
Hosted by Chaminade’s Office of Student Engagement, Puppy Love brought therapy dogs to campus for an hour of snuggles, belly rubs, and wagging tails. Running from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Puppy Love was scheduled for students to stop by in between classes. Whether they had a quick moment or the whole hour to spare, everyone was welcome to join.
Keeva, a 9-year-old therapy dog, was a student favorite at the event. This gentle Golden Retriever loves cheeseburgers and making people smile. Turning 10 at the end of October, Keeva is considered a senior dog, but she is filled with energy and loves being social. She has been a therapy dog for the past two years, and it is clear she enjoys the work.
After retiring, Keeva was introduced to therapy work because she loves pleasing others and attending other events like Puppy Love. Surrounded by students eager to pet and cuddle her, Keeva soaked up the attention with ease. Her gentle nature makes her approachable to everyone, even those who might be hesitant around dogs.
“I only planned to stop by for five minutes, but I ended up staying the whole time,” said Julien Parado, a Junior. “Keeva was so fun and fluffy, and she kept sitting right on my lap.”
Four dogs came to visit campus; each one constantly surrounded by students and showered with love. A clever Dalmatian named Star impressed students with tricks, a loving Goldendoodle named Ruby soaked up many pets, and a fluffy English Golden Retriever named Rio tried stealing a few kisses. A total of 59 students were in attendance, according to Cory Gogue, a Chaminade member of Student Engagement who oversaw the event.
“The purpose of this program is to provide our students an opportunity to take a break from studying and to destress,” said Andrew Ancheta, director of Student Engagement. “Various research shows that petting and being with animals raises the ‘feel-good’ hormones in humans. Anyone who has been to the program can attest to this by seeing all of the joyful students in attendance.”
Puppy Love was free for students, staff, and faculty. This ensures that anyone on campus could benefit from the calming presence of the dogs, even if it’s just for a few minutes. The office of Student Engagement plans to host this event once a month.
“By hosting this program multiple times a term, we’re aiming to give our students a consistent and positive emotional and mental health boost,” Ancheta said. “And it gives some students something to look forward to each month.”