Medical Dog Program

At Children's Hospital Colorado, we treat the whole child, not just their illness. And sometimes, a friendly, highly trained facility dog is just what a child needs to put them on the path to healing.

Meet our medical dogs

With the steadfast support of their handlers and child life specialists, our medical dogs help kids in several Children’s Colorado locations. These furry members of our team visit our hospitals on the Anschutz Medical Campus, North Campus and in Colorado Springs.

At Children’s Colorado, we call these specially-trained dogs facility dogs or medical dogs. They help motivate children to meet their goals, make the clinical environment feel more like home and give kids a reason to play and smile.

Medical benefits of animal-assisted interventions for kids

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that animal-assisted therapy can help patients cope with and heal from health problems. Research shows that interacting with a gentle, friendly pet can stabilize blood pressure, diminish pain, reduce anxiety and encourage communication. Expertly paired with clinically trained team members, our medical dogs provide a calm presence in what can be a stressful experience for children and their families.

Read more about the Impact of Facility Dog and Certified Child Life Specialist Dyad on Children’s Pain and Anxiety During Needlestick Procedures in a Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic Setting

FAQs about the Medical Dog Program

What training do medical dogs receive?

Our medical dogs started training at just a few weeks old. They spent up to three years learning how to be medical dogs before they arrived at Children’s Colorado. Our Golden Retrievers, Pringle, Ruffles, Halo and Galaxy, were trained at the nonprofit service dog school, Canine Assistants. Our Labradors, Kit, Salida, Huckins and Saunders, were trained at the Colorado-based nonprofit, Canine Partners of the Rockies.

Our dogs’ specialized training and calm dispositions make them perfect companions for children facing a tough time. While they can perform many impressive tasks and tricks, their greatest gifts are patience and unconditional love.

How long have they been working?

The first medical dogs at Children’s Hospital Colorado began in 2019, while our most recent addition joined the team in 2025. Fun fact: many of our dogs are related – we have siblings, aunts and uncles on the team!

Where did they get their names?

Canine Assistants names each litter of service dog puppies according to a theme. Halo and Galaxy came from a space-themed litter. Ruffles and Pringle were from a chip and cracker-themed litter. At Canine Partners of the Rockies, the dogs all have Colorado-themed names. Kit and Salida are named after towns in Colorado. Huckins and Saunders are named after local Colorado artists.

How can I meet a medical dog?

Our medical dogs are busy pups who spend most of their days helping the children who need them most. That's why a medical provider must work with our Child Life Department to schedule a visit. While we do our best to accommodate all requests, we cannot guarantee a visit.

Our medical dogs also visit Seacrest Studios and the T(w)een Zone (for kids ages 10 or older) a couple of times each week. Come meet a medical dog and play a game every Tuesday at 11:30 am in Seacrest Studios for their PAWS to PLAY show! For the T(w)een Zone, check out the weekly calendar to find if a medical dog is scheduled to appear!

And finally, if you or your child can't meet a medical dog in person, you can always keep up with the Medical Dog Program by following Children's Colorado on Instagram.

How is the Medical Dog Program different from the Prescription Pets Program?

While both programs make a world of difference for children in our hospital, their aims are slightly different. The dogs in the Medical Dog Program are specially certified medical dogs who work with clinical staff. These dogs can help calm patients during certain procedures, encourage kids to get up and move around, comfort kids who have experienced trauma and demonstrate how to take medications.

To request assistance from a medical dog, your child must have a clinical or therapeutic need. A team member may request support through the medical chart. The child life team evaluates the request and works to accommodate it according to needs and availability.

Prescription pets are Children's Colorado's beloved four-legged volunteers. These pups work with their humans to bring cheer and joy by visiting children in common areas and patient rooms. Many of these furry friends and their owners visit our hospital at Anschutz Medical Campus several times per week. They also visit our hospital in Colorado Springs.

Like our medical dogs, prescription pets make the hospital feel more comfortable for children who could benefit from a friendly presence. Unlike medical dogs, prescription pets cannot be present during a patient’s exam or procedure.

Both medical dogs and prescription pets are busy visiting patients almost every day. While we cannot guarantee a dog visit during your child's stay, we will do our best to accommodate your request through the Prescription Pets Program. To request a visit from a prescription pet, please call the Association of Volunteers at 720-777-6887.

How can I help?

The Medical Dog Program at Children's Colorado is supported by generous donations from our community. If you'd like to help the Medical Dog Program grow, please make a donation through the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation. Your donation supports the dogs' ongoing care while helping us add more medical dogs to our team.