HOWELL – Students at Howell’s Memorial School received a visit from a very special, four-legged friend recently. Former principal Alysson Keelen brought her mini golden doodle, Yogi Edward Keelan, back to where his journey to becoming a therapy dog began: Memorial School.
Keelan has since retired as principal of Memorial. However, during her time there, she brought Yogi in as just a 10-week-old puppy to learn how to socialize in a facility-type atmosphere, said current principal Ray Gredder.
When Keelan retired, she took Yogi with her and together they worked on completing Yogi’s certification as a therapy dog.
On Dec. 20, now over one year old, Yogi returned to his first home at Memorial to try out his therapy skills.
“As Yogi moved from classroom to classroom, some of the students took the opportunity to read to him, while others just wanted to pet and talk to him. The teachers were thrilled to see their “old student” walking the hallways and greeted him with big hugs and smiles,” read a press release from the school.
According to PAWS for People, a nonprofit organization serving local areas including southern New Jersey, pet therapy demonstrates both physical and mental benefits. Their website notes that therapy pets can lower blood pressure, release endorphins (oxytocin) that have a calming effect, lift spirits and lessen depression, provide comfort, decrease anxiety, and help with emotional disorders, among many others. Therapy pets also provide literary benefits to children by increasing focus, improving literacy skills, and increasing self-confidence, according to PAWS.
“Yogi offered pure unconditional love and joy to our students. I watched a student with behavioral challenges find great peace and comfort in hugging yogi, petting him, and even getting an occasional doggie kiss,” said Danielle Wall, Memorial School social worker.
Gredder called Yogi’s return visit “a slam dunk,” noting that “They [Yogi and Keelan] are both part of the lifelong family of Memorial School. Although Yogi is golden doodle, we know he is 100 percent bulldog at heart!”
Memorial School also bestowed Yogi with a PAWS (Positive Actions Will Shine) Award for his community service work.
“Every child benefits from the services Yogi provides. The smiles on the faces of students when Yogi walks down the hallway and offers a wag of his tail or sits next to a child and gestures to be petted are some of the wonderful comforts he provides to our students,” added assistant Principal Chrissy Remo.
Yogi began his therapy training at Urban Dawgs in Red Bank with puppy training, where he learned obedience skills and how to interact appropriately with others. He then received further training at Sugar Paws in Ocean where he learned specific therapy dog skills and positive social skills. He finally graduated from Bayshore Companion Dog Club’s Therapy and Canine Good Citizen Class. With a clean bill of health, Yogi received his official ID badge, certificate, and leash and vest.
While his visit to Memorial may have been most special, it was not his first. Since October 2018, Yogi has made numerous visits to M. Scott Carpenter Elementary School in Old Bridge and even took part in Georgian Court University’s Stress Less Fair. And soon you might see him roaming the halls as a volunteer at Monmouth Medical Center RWJ Barnabas Health, Long Branch.
