Chaz is a 6-year-old Golden Retriever who is a Delta Society registered Pet Partner®. Many patients ask specifically for him to be in the room, at their side, during their appointments, often bringing a treat for him! This usually ends up with a wet nose wedged deep in someone’s pocket, always looking for one more. He possesses an affectionate demeanor and is gentle in temperament, allowing our younger patients to crawl or pull on him without a single complaint! We sometimes refer to him as our babysitter when adults bring their children along. Chaz is just a big teddy bear, our “gentle giant” who truly is a big presence in our office for young and older patients alike. He is here every day, making the rounds from room to room, sitting at attention & having a calming effect on anxious patients. Between appointments, Chaz can be found sleeping in the middle of the hallway serving as a speed-bump of sorts for my assistants to hop over as they move about the office! He makes the office feel more like a home-environment because he definitely feels at home here: he leaves toys and stuffed animals (his “babies”) scattered in the hall in his excitement to greet someone new.

It just so happened I had Pet Partner® trainer, Christi Dudzik and Delta's Manager of their National Service Dog Center, Susan Duncan as patients. Christi and Susan saw my Golden Retriever in the office one day and suggested he could be an asset to the practice if he were trained throughThe Delta Society to become a Pet Partner®. This would allow him to be out among patients to greet and sit with patients as needed to help with anxiety. So, I took their advise and we became a registered Pet Partner® team.

As Chase, my first Pet Partner®, started getting up in years it was only natural to think about bringing another dog in to fill his role. My love for Golden Retrievers made picking the breed easy. We chose our new puppy and named him Chaz to ease the transition with our patients. I immediately arranged to have Chaz trained for a month at Summit Assistance Dogs on Guemes Island. We visited him a couple of times during that month and then followed up with other obedience classes. Chaz began coming in to the office shortly after completion of obedience training.  A pinnacle for Chaz was when Chase could no longer come into the office.  It was at this time Chaz stepped up to the plate to fill his big brother’s shoes. He assumed his new solitaire Pet Partner® role with pride.  From that day forward, he’s had freedom in our office to interact with patients as wanted or needed.

Chaz alleviates anxiety in patients feeling nervous about procedures, injections, or the drill. He sits very calmly at the patient’s side and won’t leave. Chaz also serves as our unofficial office mascot- the staff is very attached to him and each makes sure he wants for nothing- Chaz is very spoiled, but deservedly so!

In addition to the wonderful care patients receive at our office, many regard Chaz’s presence as a main component for referring friends and family. Our patients love Chaz, they find comfort in his role as part of our dental team. If, and when, we do have a patient who is either uncomfortable with dogs or allergic, Chaz quietly goes into our staff lounge for the duration of the procedure. As a Pet Partner® Team, Chaz is  certified to be in clinical settings and I have been apprised of all the information and procedures to prevent zoonotic infection.