Rady Children’s Hospital at Mission goes to the dogs

It isn’t unusual to be a little nervous when starting a new job, but the newest employee at Rady Children’s Hospital at Mission isn’t your typical new hire.

Haines is the hospital’s first-ever resident facility dog, a black Labrador who appeared a little shy while interacting with one of her first patients, Jordan McElvogue, on Monday.

“We are taking it pretty slow, since it’s her first week,” said Brittany Ferran, Haines’ primary handler.

During her first few days on the job, Ferran introduced Haines to the staff and helped the new four-legged team member get acclimated to her new job site.

Patient Jordan McElvogue, meet Haines, the first-ever facility dog with handler Brittany Ferran, at the Rady Children’s Hospital at Mission on Monday.

(Don Leach/Staff Photographer)

“I walked around with her and had her sniff around, and we did 30-minute increments of meeting staff here, staff in [the pediatric intensive care unit], and then went back and did it all over again,” Ferran said. “She was so happy to meet everybody, and everyone is already in love with her.”

Ferran is also a certified child life specialist who is with Haines at all times when the dog is on the ward. Haines goes home with Ferran at the end of each shift, although a secondary handler takes the leash whenever Ferran is on vacation or out sick.

At just under 2 years old, Haines is trained on more than 40 cues and qualified to provide comfort, emotional support and therapeutic benefits to patients. She was matched with the hospital through Canine Companions, a national organization that supplies highly-trained service dogs to individuals with disabilities.

Breeders usually raise the dogs until they are about 14 months old, at which point they move on to professional training. While in training, it’s determined whether the canines will be good candidates for work as service dogs or emotional support dogs.

Patrick McElvogue and his daughter, patient Jordan McElvogue, right, meet the first-ever resident dog Haines with handler Brittany Ferran, at the Rady Children’s Hospital at Mission on Monday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“Only 50% of dogs make it through to be either a service dog or emotional support pet,” said Ferran. “We just knew she was going to be in the Children’s Hospital, because she is so good with kids.”

Jordan, who underwent treatment for appendicitis, sat on the floor of the children’s playroom with Haines Monday, petting her softly as Ferran spoke with a reporter.

Hospital officials say facility dogs have been shown to reduce patient anxiety. There are also physical benefits associated with interacting with facility dogs, like lower blood pressure and a calmer heart rate. Research shows resident dogs can increase a person’s oxytocin, a hormone that produces feelings of happiness, while decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. Additionally, the trained canines can decrease loneliness and encourage social interaction.

Jordan’s father, Patrick McElvogue, remarked that Haines has a similar disposition to their family’s late dog, Chole, who passed away two years ago.

Haines joins two other dogs currently working at Rady Children’s Health, which recently combined with Children’s Hospital of Orange County under one nonprofit health system. Labrador-golden retriever mix Lois joined the team at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange in 2019 and Wise, also a Labrador-golden retriever mix, arrived at CHOC in September.

Typically, a resident dog’s career lasts six to eight years, although Ferran noted some dogs can work until the age of 10, depending on the conditions.

Patient Jordan McElvogue, left, pets Haines, with handler Brittany Ferran, at the Rady Children’s Hospital at Mission during a visit Monday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“That’s why we are taking things slow now, so we can ensure the longevity of her career,” said Ferran, who noted special care is taken to make sure Haines has time to just be a dog.

“She takes lots of breaks. She requires at least 60 minutes a day of outside play,” said Ferran. “I have another dog, and she gets to go home and play — the two of them just run around like crazy.”

As Haines becomes more accustomed to her new work environment, Ferran will partner with the multidisciplinary team on meeting individualized clinical goals and creating more positive healthcare experiences overall.

Jordan McElvogue, a patient at Rady Children’s Hospital at Mission, gets to know the facility’s new companion dog, Haines.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“We look forward to seeing the incredible work that our facility dog will do for us,” Ferran said. “We can’t wait to witness the many smiles and moments of comfort that Haines will bring to patients, families and staff for years to come.”

Having been discharged, it was time for Jordan to prepare to go home. Haines followed her back to her room just to make sure she was OK.