Pennridge High School has a lot of things to offer, but did you know about the therapy dog Kebo? Kebo was first introduced to the school in 2021 after being registered as a therapy dog. At the time, the principal of PHS wanted to implement animal therapy. Jennifer Pennebacker, a guidance counselor at the high school, took up the challenge since she was registering a dog for therapy. This dog was a friendly and gentle beagle named Kebo. In an interview, Pennebacker explained that Kebo’s name comes from Kebo Mountain, a mountain in Maine’s Acadia National Park. Five years ago, Pennebacker had visited the same year she got Kebo and said, “We thought it was a cute dog name. The year after, we went back up to the mountain and hiked with him.”
Kebo’s owner also explained that registering your dog as a therapy dog is not easy. First, your dog must have the right qualities and personality to be a successful therapy dog. A school therapy dog must be calm and patient to work with various students and remain calm around larger groups of people to handle the school environment. The dog must have good manners in social settings, meaning they must be able to interact with people without jumping, lunging, or barking at them while also showing a positive response to socialization. The dog also must be able to follow directions, such as being able to sit when needed. Finally, the dog should be a breed that is either hypoallergenic or doesn’t shed much hair. This is because the dog is easier to work with and clean up after when they won’t shed as much or cause allergies for the students. Kebo then needed to get trained as a therapy dog, which takes about a year, according to Pennebacker. The owner and dog must join a therapy organization they can work through and learn from. Kebo was trained with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, where he was certified and then brought into Pennridge High School after his owner brought the paperwork and insurance to the principal.
Therapy dogs have a wide range of positive effects on the students and school atmosphere. Think of going to school and having a dog there as emotional support in your English class as you read a book or see a dog in the hallway, which reminds you of home. This creates a friendly atmosphere that makes students feel comfortable and cared for while reducing stress and providing a healthier school environment. Studies have shown that school therapy dogs help reduce the stress chemical cortisol and boost academic focus. In one study, a group of elementary school students who had emotional disabilities were only able to read aloud when the dog was present. Robin Landis, a secretary of the class of 2026 and a close friend to Kebo, says, “I think he’s great. You can see a change in their faces when they see him.”
