Central Kitsap High School kicks off the back-to-school season with a visit from pups certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. They have been trained to give comfort and be a reliant friend in the time of need of anyone they meet. 

This is an event provided by CKHS, with the goal of keeping this opportunity open for many years to come. The dogs are all part of a crisis team for the district, this means in case of a crisis, such as a student or faculty death, they will be ready to come in and provide emotional support when needed. Many of the dog owners have worked in the district or have been teachers themselves, creating a strong desire to develop a good learning environment for students. 

“I worked for the Central Kitsap School District for 30 years, so my kids went to school here and graduated from CK,” Pearl’s Handler Rita Eklund said. “I think just being a teacher and just knowing the value that dogs bring to mental health, and the district is already set up and organized in a really great way by schools. My goal is to get at least one dog in every school on the regular.”

When it comes to social interaction between humans and therapy dogs, students may feel a sense of awe at the pup they are visiting with. These dogs help to relieve stress and act as a sense of peace in the chaos life holds, these pups also bring a sense of belonging and can make almost anyone feel welcome. 

“It totally drops their stress level,” Therapy Dog Handler Susy Rau said. “There’s even been research done, research shows an increase in endorphins, which is your good feeling, when you pet a dog.”

Another way therapy dogs benefit students is through reading, as many young readers just getting started tend to get nervous or struggle to read alone. Having a furry friend at the side of these young readers helps to provide safety and comfort as they dive into their reading journey. Every so often, the Kitsap Regional Library will invite therapy dogs and encourage young readers to come and practice reading skills with a furry friend, known as their “Read to a Dog” night. 

“Especially struggling readers, reading once a week with a dog, it really helps,” Rau said. “That’s why it’s becoming so popular, the read to a dog program at the library.”

This group of therapy dogs also visits elementary and middle schools often, for reading help or providing comfort to those who need it. They also visit memory care centers and hospitals. These dogs are born into their duty, they are trained to become therapy dogs, and bring comfort to those they visit. 

“I think that’s a question I have in my human heart,” Eklund said. “Am I doing this because I love it or because Pearl loves it? Sometimes I feel like she does, she loves kids, sometimes we go to a memory care center and that can be a bit stressful…so I think she enjoys being around kids better.”

In some cases, therapy dogs enjoy the interaction they get with students and people. They get to see new people and make friends. So whether they made a new friend or reconnected with an old one, each student, teacher, and dog got to kick off the 2025-2026 school year doing what they love, and creating a sense of community in CKHS. 

“She’s doing what she loves,” Therapy Dog Handler Leslie Brown said. “She’s doing what she was created for, and I think if we all are living out what we are made for, then life is good.”