Dalton Condor, an eighth grader at Owensboro Catholic Middle School, visits with therapy-dogs-in-training, Lucy and Riley, on Feb. 18, 2025. RILEY GRIEF | WKC

New therapy dog program to provide comfort, stress relief

BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC

When Lucy and Riley visit Owensboro Catholic Middle School as part of their ongoing training and instruction, faces immediately light up around them.

“It makes your day to see them just walking in the halls,” said Max Rashidian, an eighth grader.

Lucy and Riley are not typical visitors.

In fact, they’re not even people: the two are therapy dogs in training, participating in a program coordinated by the school’s guidance counselor, Leah Schwindel.

“It’s been a dream of mine for a long, long time,” said Schwindel, which goes back to when she worked in Hancock County and observed school therapy dogs providing significant “stress relief for the kids.”

Schwindel presented the idea to the administration of Owensboro Catholic School System, and after receiving the green light, began researching therapy dogs in schools to see how OCMS would best benefit from such a program.

In researching trainers, she came across Marisa Blades, the owner and trainer for SOS Canine Training.

Blades has trained dogs for about 13 years in Owensboro, Louisville, Lexington, and the surrounding areas – and was happy to join Schwindel in this initiative.

Lucy, one of the two therapy dogs in training at Owensboro Catholic Middle School, visits with a student on Feb. 18, 2025. RILEY GRIEF | WKC

“(Therapy dogs) can change a kid’s day in a second,” said Blades. “You might have a kid having a lousy day, trouble at home, and just connecting with a dog is priceless. It’s a huge stress reliever for kids. I see it every day.”

Schwindel adopted Lucy in spring 2024. She began bringing the then-eight-week-old puppy into school after the semester ended in May. Throughout summer break, she continued bringing Lucy to the school so the dog could acclimate to the building before the students returned.

Lucy’s sister and littermate, Riley, joined them in August.

Schwindel said that the breeder reached out to her after she adopted Lucy to see if she would like the pup’s sister, and she agreed, noting Riley’s qualities that would also make her a good therapy dog.

But after having both for about a month, Schwindel realized that the two, as sisters and littermates, were not doing well in their training in a home together “because they want to focus on each other, not on you, to train,” she said.

Fortunately, Brett Downing, the media specialist and technology teacher at the middle school, expressed interest in her family adopting Riley and continuing with the pup’s training.

“Once I had (Riley) I realized she’d be really good for this program as well, and I hated to not have the opportunity to have both,” said Schwindel. “Brett was really committed to doing that as well.”

With Blades’ guidance, Schwindel and Downing began bringing the dogs to visit the classrooms this semester. They are pleased to see the positive impact Lucy and Riley have had among the kids.

Owensboro Catholic Middle School’s guidance counselor, Leah Schwindel (left) with her dog, Lucy, and media specialist and technology teacher, Brett Downing, with her dog, Riley, are seen in the school’s hallway on Feb. 18, 2025. Both dogs are in training to become therapy dogs for the school. RILEY GRIEF | WKC

“They’re great, supporting, really calming to pet,” said eighth-grader Raegan Leach. “Whenever they’re walking around and visiting classes it’s just really fun.”

Sophie Moss, a fellow eighth grader, agreed.

“When I’m going through a hard time, the dogs cheer me up because I really like dogs!” she said. “They can come to visit from time to time but a lot of the time they’re up in the office and you can go see them and stuff.”

Downing said she loves participating in the program as Riley’s owner.

“I think the center of our school has always been growing our faith and keeping these kids close to God,” she said, explaining that youth in this age group experience a lot of changes and emotions that can be difficult to handle.

“A lot of that (focus), especially at this age with middle school students, is providing them that comfort,” she said. “I think those dogs really bring that comfort and peace; that really brings that all together.”

Blades said the dogs will soon take the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test, a 10-skill test that teaches good manners and confirms that the dogs behave well with humans.

“Therapy dogs have to be good, and have to have manners,” said Blades.

After Lucy and Riley pass the test, they will venture into their intensive training to fully certify them as therapy dogs for OCMS.

Schwindel said that even though the dogs have not yet completed their training, the pups are already “very tuned in” to interacting with students who need a little more support and comfort.

“Even in the hallway, they will spot out those kids that they know need the ‘extra’ and they will go to them,” she said. “It’s such a bond that they have together.”

Marisa Blades, the owner of and trainer for SOS Canine Training in Owensboro, sits with therapy-dog-in-training, Riley, on Feb. 18, 2025. RILEY GRIEF | WKC

Originally printed in the May 2025 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.