🥹 The Trained Dogs Taking Care of Hospital Staff

Say Hello to the Trained Dogs Taking Care of Hospital Staff!

Outside Rose Medical Center in Denver, snow falls quietly. Inside, on the third floor, things are anything but calm. Labor and Delivery is bustling—patients in motion, doctors on high alert. "It can be very stressful up here," said Dr. Kristina Fraser, an OB-GYN.

But moments earlier, Fraser had taken a deep breath, thanks to some unexpected colleagues: a pair of Labradors with wagging tails and limitless charm. Peppi, a yellow Lab, had nuzzled Fraser into giggles. "I don't know if a human baby smells as good as that puppy breath!" she joked as her colleagues laughed.

These aren’t just visiting therapy dogs—they’re part of the staff, trained to help doctors and nurses decompress in one of the most demanding environments imaginable. "She walks in, and everyone just melts," said Fraser. "You take a deep breath, get down on the floor, and suddenly things feel better."

Peppi’s handler, Dr. Susan Ryan, knows that relief all too well. After years as an ER doctor, she struggled with PTSD. "I was just messed up, and I knew it," Ryan admitted. Therapy with horses helped, but since a horse wasn’t exactly backyard-friendly, she got a Labrador instead.

Ryan became the first doctor trained by Canine Companions to have a service dog in an ER. Now Peppi works alongside her, turning even the toughest days into manageable ones. "When Peppi’s here, my day just gets better," said EMT Jasmine Richardson.

During the height of the pandemic, Ryan’s previous dog, Wynn, made a huge difference. "It saved people," she said, recalling new nurses who had never seen death before suddenly facing COVID casualties. "We were worried sick we were dying."

The impact of dogs goes beyond individual moments. Research shows that dogs can help reduce anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms of stress. Even Rose’s president and CEO, Casey Guber, became a believer—he got his own trained dog, Ralphie, who now roams the halls as the hospital’s Chief Dog Officer. "It’s not uncommon to see a surgeon rolling on the floor with Ralphie or a nurse taking her for a walk," Guber said.

In a world where healthcare workers face mounting stress and burnout, sometimes a wagging tail and a few sloppy kisses are the best medicine. Because dogs don't just bring joy—they remind you to breathe. 

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