The tradition of dogs (in particular, Dalmatians) being kept at firehouses dates back centuries. It started when fire engines were pulled by horses and needed to have the dogs around to help keep the horses calm, so that they wouldn’t be spooked by the fire, and now, it’s an association that might never go away. But Dalmatians aren’t the only types of dogs that can be found at fire stations these days, and now that they’re no longer necessary to keep horses in line, they can be helpful for a totally different (but just as important) purpose.
One dog just started her new job as a “fire station dog,” and her first day was documented on TikTok. She’s their newest therapy dog, and as far as I can tell from the footage shown here, she’s the perfect pup for the gig!
@annie.the.fire.dogAnnie’s first day at the Fire Station!#mentalhealth #firefighter #therapydog #sandiego
In fact, this dog already has her own TikTok account to document her new adventure, which can be found at @annie.the.fire.dog. In this first video, we get to see her checking out her new digs as she explores the fire station, and she definitely looks excited — that tail was wagging the whole time!
It also looks like she wasted no time making herself comfortable in that dog bed, complete with toys. She even took a nap on the job.
The other videos on Annie’s account are just as cute, and show her hanging out with the firefighters, supervising their workouts, and taking even more naps. If only we could all have a job where an afternoon siesta was acceptable.
Annie’s lucky, but looking at that face, it looks like it’s her coworkers who are the real lucky ones in this situation.
How therapy dogs benefit fire departments
Lately, it seems like therapy dogs are becoming more and more common in places like healthcare offices, hospitals, and even schools.
But what do they do at a fire department? Dogs like Annie can help people who are faced with extremely stressful and traumatic situations, which is an unavoidable part of the job for firefighters who have the responsibility of keeping people safe in terrifying situations.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which has instituted their own program using canines, therapy dogs are used to comfort firefighters, who suffer from a higher incidence of PTSD and anxiety than the general population. These dogs are trained to help lower blood pressure and anxiety, slow breathing, and help encourage the production of hormones that make people feel happy. It’s hard to feel stressed around an adorable dog like Annie, after all.
Good luck at your new job, Annie! Not that she’ll need it, because as far as I can tell, it seems like she’s already smashing it.
