OXFORD, Maine — The healing power of man's best friend will soon provide a new level of comfort to children who have survived abuse.
Boss, a three-year-old Golden Retriever, is training to become a therapy dog at Children's Advocacy Centers across three counties.
The pup is learning how to do a chin rest and gentle hugs where he can apply a little bit of deep pressure on the person he is interacting with.
Boss is undergoing the therapy dog program at Mission Working Dogs under the watchful eyes of the nonprofit's founder, Christy Gardner. The campus opened last year and has graduated 32 therapy and service dogs.
Jenny Moody is Boss's owner and handler. She said her dog was born to make people feel at peace and loved.
"From when he was a puppy, he was always very calm; he had a good temperament," Moody said with a smile.
Skills that will bring comfort to some of Maine's most vulnerable children. The Children's Advocacy Center in Androscoggin, Oxford, and Franklin counties provides a child-friendly space where children ages three through 17 who have been abused are interviewed by Moody—a specially trained forensic interviewer.
Eventually, Boss will be on hand to ease their anxiety during a challenging process.
"They are coming in to talk about some tough things, so I hope to give them time to love on him and let him do what he does, provide joy and happiness," Moody exclaimed.
The obstacle course at Mission Working Dogs also helps Boss build confidence going up and down stairs and test his agility around people, especially kids.
"We want him to be confident in any type of situation, any kind of movement, whether a child flops on him or him laying in a tunnel," Gardner explained.
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services is the umbrella agency for the Children's Advocacy Center. The nonprofit provides services to more than 200 child abuse survivors and their families annually. Executive Director Meg Hatch hopes training Boss to do this vital work will pave the way for more therapy dogs in agencies that work with crime victims.
"I think this is an opportunity to demonstrate that having a facility dog is possible. I would love to see the district office, for example, have a facility dog; they are excited about Boss," Hatch said.
Gardner said Boss is doing well with his training so far; she credits that he is around children daily at home. She feels he could be working with survivors by late spring.
Moody believes Boss will also be healing for investigators, child protective officials, and staff dealing with the stress of their jobs. And they'll have a four-legged friend as they work to protect Maine's youngest survivors.
If you know someone who may be a victim of child abuse or neglect, you can call the Maine Office of Child and Family Services at 1-800-452-1999. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.