I’m sure you’ve heard about the Green Orthodontics' Therapy dog! Her name is Lily and she is the face of the office with her brown, black and white hair and the cutest ears that stick straight up! She is 8 years old and her birthday is April 7th. She was adopted by Dr. Green here in Clarksville, TN and is mixed with Terrier.
Lily went through a private course where she received her therapy certification. While she is absolutely adorable, her actual every day job responsibility is to help our patients with dental anxiety. The patients love when she jumps on their lap to offer a warm cuddle to take their mind off of their dental procedures. Her prized possessions consist of squeaky toys, treats and her dog bed. You can usually find her lounging around waiting for someone to call her name or give her attention.
Typically, Lily is very relaxed and calm, but can be very entertaining especially with the mailman. Our mailman trained Lily to greet him with a bark every time he comes to the office! She knows that if she barks, she will get a treat from him. She always knows when it is him by the sound of his voice and will run around the corner to greet him!
Lily is very passionate about each of our patients achieving the smile that they have always dreamed of. She is always willing lend a helping paw whenever she can. She is also a champion at clearing her bowl at lunchtime and always wants a little extra for a snack. Lily also enjoys our office dress up days and always takes the best pictures for social media. When the office is closed for training, Lily is always sad and missing out on the extra attention she is used to! Lily even has her own stuffed animals that were created to look just like her.
Research has shown that therapy dogs can reduce stress and provide a sense of comfort in difficult situations. A UCLA study showed that petting an animal can promote the release of serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin, which can play a part in elevating moods. Lily loves her job at Green Ortho and most of all loves getting to see our patients each and every day!
