Tulsa Students Learn From Service Dog

Medical students at OU Tulsa are learning about the value of service dogs from a four-legged instructor.

Niko, a five-year-old Lab, is the namesake for the Professor Paws Project at OU Tulsa.

Doctor Mary Isaacson, the Interim Director of OU’s Occupational Therapy program, says her occupational and physical therapy students may be referring patients for service dogs later and they need to know what they can do.

Who better to teach them than a service dog!

Niko is on the staff, even has his own ID badge.

The Professor Paws Project is five years old.  It’s designed to teach the benefits of service dogs and, through the education, eliminate some of the barriers for those who need them and use them.

The students love Niko and insisted on having him at graduation last year.

Niko also does lots of community outreach with scouts, schools, and other organizations.