Four Chihuahuas; one happy classroom
by Brian DiTullio

CCUSD – Four little dogs is all it takes to brighten Colin Spellicy and Jace Mayer’s day.

Spellicy and Mayer are two special needs students at Desert Willow Elementary School who were enjoying their time with the four Chihuahua therapy dogs brought in by Randi Berthold and her daughter Dusty.

The canines, Roxanne, Jerome, Freddie and Chopper, attended school that day as part of their normal routine helping special needs students in the Cave Creek Unified School District.

Berthold said she began volunteering her time 26 years ago and started bringing her now 10‑year‑old daughter along five years ago.

Spellicy would hold the dogs and proclaim his excitement when one of them would lick his nose.

Mayer’s mother, Shelly, said Jace really loves interacting with the dogs.

“He doesn’t use his hands very much,” she said. “But he’ll relax his arms and kind of pet them.”

Moments later, Jace wrapped his arms around Chopper and gave him a big hug.

Krista Quinn, teacher for the class, said she welcomes the canines into the classroom because she knows “the kids look forward to it.”

“I know the textures (of the fur) are good,” Quinn said. “It teaches the kids the softness of the fur.”

Quinn also said the dogs have helped some students with their communication skills as the kids make an effort to learn the dogs’ names and interact with the Chihuahuas when they’re in the room.

“They talk to the dogs,” Quinn said.

Berthold, who also holds down a job, says she does this with her daughter during the little free time she has because she sees the positive effect it has on the kids.

“If I didn’t need a paycheck, this would be my full time job,” Berthold said. “It is just so rewarding.”

Spellicy’s mother, Suzanne, sent a letter to The Desert Advocate about her child and the pet therapy.

“The first time (Berthold) brought the dogs to school to meet Colin, it was love at first sight,” she wrote. “Colin has Down Syndrome, and when these meetings began, his verbal skills were not as high as his cognitive understanding, which would cause him much frustration. It did not take long, however, to overcome the frustration that he would often feel and to be able to come home to his family and verbally express that he wanted a dog. We now have two dogs.”

Spellicy also states in her letter the dogs have helped focus Colin’s attention and have greatly expanded his social skills.

Colin, who was much too busy playing with Freddie and Chopper to talk to us, summed it up best when Freddie gave him a big lick on the nose.

“He kissed me,” exclaimed Spellicy.