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Soft Therapy During Hard Times - Caldwell College Brings Back Therapy Dogs for Students During Finals

Lulu was a big hit with the kids - and enjoyed sharing her holiday spirit.
Cuddling Pebbles are Caldwell College students, from left to right, Kayla Bolen and Jenna Melkowits.
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Diane Lilli
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LIfe is stressful. If you're an adult in the work force, every day can be daunting. Just getting to work on time can be a challenge. But children also suffer from stress.

Students at Caldwell College, in the midst of the ever-stressful finals, got a reprieve yesterday when for the second year in a row, the school offered visits with therapy dogs.

Walking into to the student center, about 19 dogs were in various poses: laying down and being pet by students, being held and cuddled by kids,

offering a friendly paw to the visitors or standing cheerily with wagging tail.

Director of Counseling for Caldwell College Robin Davenport said the therapy dogs truly do offer wonderful stress relief for not only the students, but also for many with chronic illness, pain or other conditions.

"We are aware of research that suggests pet therapy can havae a great relaxing effect on people," she said. "Why not students?"

All around the room, college kids on break between classes - and finals - were cooing over their fuzzy friends.

Student Marina Maret said she felt like the dogs had already lowered her blood pressure.

"I love them," she said. "It's just wonderful our school is doing this for us again. They make me feel so much calmer. They do reduce stress."

Fellow student Jenna Melkowits agreed.

"I really love doing this," said Jenna, as she held a small mix breed of Cavalier King Charles and Shitzu, called a "Cavashu". "Pebbles is a great dog to hold."

The dogs, in all shapes and sizes, were basking in the glow of so much student attention.

Sophomore Sarah Sledgeski, who lives far from her home in Vernon, New York, said she felt like petting these dogs were like being back with her own dog, who she misses.

"Since I can't see my own dog, this is great," she said. "I'm so busy with finals, but to be able to do this means the world to me. I'm very grateful."

As Davenport noted, kids need a break sometimes.

"Students have been up late preparing for finals, and have a lot of stress," she noted. "Students are being evaluated this week. What makes this event wonderful is they can come here and not worry about being evaluated. They can come here and have unconditional love."

At Caldwell College, unconditional love is proudly part of the curriculum.