The City of Eden Prairie employees recently experienced some furry relief courtesy of a duo of service dogs, with them veterans in the field of support and therapy. Developed by Soldier's 6, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting veterans, police officers, and first responders, these dogs have been trained to assist in mitigating the emotional toll of crises. According to the City of Eden Prairie blog, the dogs dropped by to spread some love among the staff.
Among the visiting canines was Rip, a 2-year-old Golden Retriever who, under the guidance of EPPD Sgt. Tom Lowery, has been undergoing training to serve as a therapy dog for departments reeling from traumatic events, and events such as officer-involved shootings, and the dog will join a network of Soldier's 6 therapy dogs ready for dispatch throughout Minnesota. Lowery's second dog, Summit, is also being readied to provide similar department-level emotional support. Rip's presence among the city staff served as a reminder of the healing power companionship animals can bring to stressful work environments.
Also joining in was Nelson, a Burnese Mountain Dog, who is paired with a retired Twin Cities police officer that served 22 years on the force. Now reveling in his retirement alongside his service dog, the former officer takes joy in paying forward the benefits of Nelson's companionship through department therapy visits. The initial training of such dedicated service dogs spans a substantial three to six months and consists of outings to dog-friendly locales alongside a certified dog trainer and regular, consistent home exercises.
