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Mia, a 3-year-old golden doodle, sits in place during a training session at K9to5 Doggy Daycare in St. Marys on Tuesday morning.
ST. MARYS - For Mia, a 3-year-old golden doodle, it will soon be tooth thirty every day.
Peter Moreland, owner and dentist at St. Henry Dental, is in the process of training Mia, his pet dog, to be a therapy dog at the dentist office.
"We've had her for a few years and just decided to put her through this program a couple of months ago," Moreland said of Mia. "She's still in training, but she's doing well. We're going to bring her in as a therapy dog to reduce people's fears and anxieties at the dental office and hopefully just kind of be a fun presence to have there."
Mia is in her second month of a six-month training program, called Anything is Pawsable, at K9to5 Doggy Daycare in St. Marys. The program trains dogs, starting as puppies, to be assistance dogs. The dogs are then donated to recipients in surrounding communities, free of charge.
At the end of the program, Mia will greet people, roam around the dentist office, and sit with patients, easing their dental fears.
The office will have a treat bowl by the front desk where people can take a treat if they want to be approached by Mia.
"She'll come in by the patient chairs, and if patients want, she'll come and just kind of sit right next to them and they can just pet," Moreland said. "She won't be laying on anybody, but she'll be sitting next to them. The chairs are low and she can sit right there and be at their height (so) they can pet her, feel her (and) know she's there instead of worrying about what's going on up here."
Moreland added Mia's breed, golden doodle, is hypoallergenic and personable to be around.
Peter Moreland, owner and dentist at St. Henry Dental, shakes Mia's paw.
Moreland brings Mia to K9to5 once a week for about an hour where daycare owner Sandy Gerdeman trains her to be a therapy dog, earning the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification, a 10-skill test that teaches good manners to dogs and responsible dog ownership to their owners, through the American Kennel Club.
"Basically what you're getting is a very well-mannered, well-trained dog, and she gets certification from that," Gerdeman said. "Then, she'll go into her therapy training, which we've been working on in context so that she can do the therapy part of it as well as working on her CGC levels that she needs. She'll have all her certifications when the whole thing is done and she'll be able to work in his office."
As a therapy dog, Gerdeman said, Mia will have a vest on to signify she is working. When she's not working, she can still be a pet.
"The idea is, she'll learn that when she's got that vest on, she's working and she's at the office," Moreland said. "She's a little more well-behaved and things like that. When she comes home, she's still our pet. The vest comes off, she can be more of a pet and just kind of relax."
The CGC test stipulates the dog accepts a friendly stranger, sits politely for petting, can walk close to people, sit and stand on cue, among other requirements.
Most dogs learn best through positive reinforcement training, according to the AKC. Positive reinforcement involves rewarding the dog for making the right choice and withholding rewards or ignoring the dog for making an incorrect choice.
Gerdeman said she only uses positive reinforcement.
"I won't allow anything else. I don't even allow my clients to use the word 'no.' No dog is bad, they just have to be redirected," she said.
K9to5 employee Kami Butcher, Celina, acts as a dental patient and hands Mia a treat during a demonstration.
Although Mia is still in training, Gerdeman said she has made exceptional progress and has greeted people in the office on a trial basis.
"Mia has made leaps and bounds in her training," she said. "She is a wonderful dog, very loving. She will be so happy in that dentist office, especially being around her parents. Another reason why we preach daycare (is) that dog stays at home all day by (itself). That dog only has us. (It) sits in the window and waits all day. Having a job (it) can go to means everything to (it)."
Moreland said when he brought Mia into the office for the first time, everyone's tails were wagging.
"I've had her in a couple times already, just short periods, but it's been a big hit, especially with kids," he said. "Kids just love having her there and giving her a treat, and then they forget any fears of why they're there. It's been good."
Moreland said many people fear the dentist, which could consequently put their oral health in jeopardy.
People with dentophobia, the fear of the dentist, feel anxious when they think about or visit the dentist, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Past negative experiences, family history or feeling a loss of control can lead to the phobia.
Gerdeman understands the fear, adding that some have an "absolute hatred" for the dentist.
Mia, in theory, will alleviate the anxieties, providing a physical distraction.
"Who could resist that?" Gerdeman asked, referring to Mia's fluffy face. "I mean, seriously. Even the dogs we have in schools, nursing homes and hospitals … it makes such a difference to a person to see a dog and put a big smile on somebody's face. In his case, a huge smile because it's all about the teeth."
Although Moreland hasn't concretely decided if Mia will have specific hours, he said she will be at the office the majority of the time.
St. Henry Dental is located at 570D Kremer-Hoying Road. Moreland has a staff of seven, including another dentist.
