Music Therapy and Service Animals: The Perfect Match

In July of 2022 one of our own music therapists, Meredith, became a handler for a special service dog named Dash along with her co-handlers Julie (a clinical nurse and director of hematology/oncology) and Mary (a hematology/oncology parent host). She knew that this would benefit her patients, but what she didn’t know is how much fun she would have doing it! Dash is a young golden retriever who “would play fetch all day if he could”-in the words of Meredith. His favorite song is “Puppy Love” and he loves to visit young patients in the hospital. He also is a Michigan football fan and can occasionally be seen in a University of Michigan jersey!

To become a certified handler Meredith and her team traveled to Atlanta, Georgia and spent a week training with Dash and bonding with him. They would run through scenarios that he might experience in a hospital setting and practiced communicating with him in those types of experiences. They learned how to have Dash safely on a hospital patient’s bed without causing any accidental harm and how to care for Dash’s medical needs.

Now at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital Dash works primarily in the hematology oncology unit as well as in Sophie’s Place, a dedicated music therapy space in the hospital where patients can be be treated and find some reprieve from the troubles of daily hospital life. He spends much of his time in patient’s rooms at bedside where patients can pet or interact with him and he can help them smile, feel relaxed, and stay calm during their stay. In Sophie’s Place Dash often does staff support groups in which he can cheer up hospital staff who often carry heavy burdens. Dash is even featured on the hospital's broadcasting channel so that patients who can’t leave their rooms or can’t have visitors can talk to him via livestream! Any or all of these things could happen in a day in the life of Dash!

Meredith described to me that she never thought she'd become a service animal handler but that she is so glad that she did because it greatly enhances her patient’s music therapy experience! Having Dash involved in her sessions, she has found that her patients are quicker to open up to her and are more relaxed. Some patients have furry friends at home that they love but can’t be with and having Dash around immediately makes them feel at home. Another goal area that Meredith uses Dash to facilitate is helping her patients work towards performing the music they wrote or are learning. When a patient is nervous about performing for friends, family, or hospital staff, they perform for Dash first! Dash is a smiley dog and Meredith’s patients love performing for him in this low-risk and encouraging setting, helping them gain greater self-esteem.

One of Meredith’s favorite memories of working with Dash was when the Sophie’s Place at C.S. Mott had its grand opening. Dash was there and got to, not only be a comforting factor for the patients attending, but also add to their excitement. Another of her favorite memories is when she surprised one of her patients, during her first music therapy session in Sophie’s Place with a session with Dash! The patient has service dogs at home that she isn’t able to be with so this became a special memory for her. In all of these ways and more, service dogs really can make music therapy, not only more medicinally effective, but also more fun!