Comfort, Connection, and Canine Therapy - Stina Røeggen Tuck and therapy dog Milla Joy have extensive experience working with vulnerable people. Together with therapy dog Milla Joy, she creates lifelong memories that demonstrate how important they – as a team are to those they meet along the way. We are deeply grateful that Stina shares some of these memories. It is beautifully written, and we can truly feel how strongly it has touched her.
Comfort, Connection, and Canine Therapy with Milla Joy
At the college, we met a student who said she missed her dog at home so deeply that it almost hurt. She saw Milla Joy, and it was as if a wave of relief washed over her. During the session, she sat down on the floor, played with Milla Joy, and said with a smile: "I feel her paws, how big, warm, and good they are. It almost feels like being home again." It was a moment of pure joy where longing was replaced with peace and presence.
During exam time at the college, the atmosphere is often characterized by stress and anxiety. Milla Joy and I were assigned a small room with a sofa, reserved for us and students who needed a breather. Throughout the day, several groups of students came in, visibly tired and a bit weary. Milla Joy jumped up on the sofa, lay down on their laps, and looked up with her warm eyes. One by one, they sat down and had her on their lap. One student placed her hand on Milla's back and whispered: "This was good for the soul. Now I'm not thinking about anything else but dog." In this room, exam stress became a distant worry, and they left with a new sparkle in their eyes.
Our work in child and adolescent psychiatry has given us some of the most meaningful experiences. A teenager struggling with social anxiety was initially skeptical and reserved. I sat on the floor with Milla Joy beside me, and after some time, she crept closer. Finally, she began to pet her gently. Milla Joy, always full of trust, lay down and rolled around. The girl smiled cautiously and said: "She doesn't care what I say or do. She just likes being here." It was an important step toward opening up and building trust – a reminder of how significant such small moments can be.
Middle school students often face a demanding everyday life with high expectations and uncertainty. During one of our visits, Milla Joy sat in the middle of a circle of young people, who both laughed and shared stories while petting her. A girl later told me: "It's so much easier to talk when the dog is here. You feel safe, and it's okay to be quiet too." Milla Joy's presence created a space for both play and conversation, where no one felt alone.
Having a Dog at School – A Break for the Soul!
Many of the students we meet at colleges say the same thing: "Having a dog like Milla Joy here makes the school day easier." In a demanding time, with pressure from all sides, a four-legged friend provides the opportunity to relax – if only for a few minutes. It's as if time stands still when Milla Joy rests her head on my lap or waddles around with her beloved Kong toy. I see it in their faces too: shoulders lower, smiles emerge, and they leave the session with a new form of energy.
One of the students commented: "Monday is usually the worst day of the week, but I was looking forward to today because I knew you were coming. I wish it was like this more often."
These stories show how Milla Joy has made a difference in both students' and pupils' everyday lives, and how animal-assisted therapy can truly create small but meaningful moments of joy and peace. Many of the students we meet at colleges say the same thing: "Having a dog here makes the school day easier." One student put it simply:
"It feels easier to come to school when I know there's a dog waiting there. This should be a permanent offering."
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