Pawsitive Influence: Frank the Therapy Dog Turns 3

Pawsitive Influence: Frank the Therapy Dog Turns 3

By Jerry McCormick

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A member of the Cal State San Marcos family is about to celebrate a special birthday.

Frank the Therapy Dog will be turning 3 years old on Saturday.

To celebrate, Frank had a special birthday party in the third-floor lobby of Kellogg Library on Thursday. Nearly 100 students came by to wish the party animal a happy birthday just before U-hour.

Frank's party included cupcakes and candy for the guests and photos with the birthday boy. He even received a special visit from the Cougar Care Network cart, a special birthday handkerchief and an outfit from some well-wishers.

Frank, a goldendoodle, is a therapy and facility dog. According to his mom, Tracy Daly, a CSUSM kinesiology lecturer and registered dietitian/nutritionist and sports dietitian, he is a beloved member of her family.

She said Frank's presence is just the present CSUSM needs.

"He is bringing a lot of joy to students who are struggling or stressed," Daly said. "And not only students, but faculty, staff and administrators."

Just this semester, Daly said, Frank has completed more than 1,500 visits, supporting mental health and building community connections.

Animal-assisted therapy has shown significant reductions in both psychological and physiological stress, a recent studyfound.

"A lot of folks on this campus are away from home, and they might be missing their dog," Daly said. "I've had a lot of students tell me they recently lost their dog or they've had loss in their family, and they come visit Frank and he's just this warm, fuzzy ball of love."

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Vera Lee, a junior nursing major, agreed.

"I met Frank during a class Tracy was doing and started following him on Instagram," Lee said. "Frank brings me a lot of joy and helps me during the stressful times. I see Frank three times a week, and I recommend that anyone who loves dogs or animals or who has pets they're not able to see come by and visit Frank."

Frank is fully trained and certified as both a therapy and facility dog through Pawsitive Teamsand Love on a Leash. His work aligns strongly with CSUSM's values around well-being, belonging and student success.

"What we found is that Frank has a very good demeanor when it comes to therapy work," Daly said. "He passed his canine good citizen test with flying colors."

Frank was certified as a therapy dog in just eight weeks. His journey to CSUSM took more than a year - starting with the kinesiology department; working his way through to Integrated Risk Management; the Office of Safety, Health and Sustainability; all the way up to the provost.

That journey was worth it, Daly said.

"I see the changes in students' faces when they come out and hang out with him," she said.

During the fall semester, people can come by and visit Frank on Mondays from 12:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. in front of Kellogg Library and on Tuesdays from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Epstein Family Veterans Center.

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