Most people fear one thing or another, and at times your fear will get the better of you. This can make trips to the dentist or the hospital terrifying. However, a new trend has begun that may help anxious patients to fight the worry. “Man’s best friend”, the dog, has found a new role helping to combat fear in dentistry hospitals, nursing homes and more. In Queensland, Australia a dog called Beau has been employed for just this reason. Beau is a cavoodle and he was chosen for the role for several reasons, including: his chilled-out temperament, his intelligence and the fact that this particular breed does not shed its hair.
Beau was one of the very first dental practice dogs, we believe. He looked after patients in the waiting room, helping them to keep calm and relaxed before continuing with their appointment. This simple, but effective idea arose when owners noticed the popularity of a social media post about a therapy dog in America. Beau was loved by many and spent his days making hundreds of clients smile. He never ventured near the surgery rooms, of course, for hygiene purposes.
Unfortunately for our hero, his luck was on the turn and the dental practice was struck with a big blow. Beau’s inspirational work finally came to an end one day after an accident that in the end killed him. This left staff and patients very upset, not only because they missed Beau himself, but because of the key role he played in helping everyone to be relaxed during their visits to the practice. Luckily patients were not waiting long when Dexter, Beau's half-brother, took up the role. Dexter continues to look after patients to this very day.
How would you feel about a dog in the waiting room at your next visit?
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