Medicine Hat, AB– Almost everybody has had that heart stopping moment when another car plows into yours.
Instantly you are filled with dread.
One business in Medicine Hat wants to help make that situation as calm as possible.
For over 6 years Hi-Tech Paint and Collision owner Doris Dorval has brought her poodle Sophie to work to help customers ease some of the stress.
“There are customers who do come in that are in tears and spend their time with the dog and end up walking away thinking something or leave a comment that it’s calming to be sitting there and pet the dog when they are feeling down.” Dorval said.
The shop’s bookkeeper, Peggy Johnston, agreed.
“I have seen them calming people down that have high stress and aren’t sure what to do. So we will do the work for them while they sit here with the puppies, or the dogs I should say, and they pet them. I think it does wonders for them.”
Sophie has been joined in her role of greeter by another employee’s poodle Annie.
The two are so beloved that people will come back just to visit them according to Dorval.
“There’s lots of pictures on peoples cell phones of the dogs because we catch them, sometimes secretly, sometimes not, taking pictures of the dog. Phoning back to see what kind of breed they are, because they want a dog and they would like to get the same breed.”
The poodles don’t only calm down the customers, but have become an important part of the office.
Johnston says walking the dogs during her lunch break has become a key part of her day.”
“I think it works so well because it does calm a lot of people and even us in the office, if we’re having a stressful day, like I’ll take them out and play with them and walk them.”
