Two Dogs Join Belmont University Staff

Tunes and Doe, courtesy of @belmontcanines on Instagram

Belmont added two new dogs to campus, making them the first canine members of the university staff. 

Tunes, a German shepherd and husky mix, is the newest member of Campus Security. Professor Doe is a beagle and Chihuahua mix and is Belmont’s first therapy dog. 

Tunes helps Campus Security on crisis calls. She is certified in therapy and investigation, and Campus Security hopes to expand her certifications through additional training.  

The dogs’ primary handlers are Campus Security Corporal Betty Reed and Dean of Students Tamika Williams. They care for the dogs and have trained other members of their department to handle them.  

The dogs came from Titusville, Florida and received training through the Paws and Stripes College of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. The college offers behavioral and command-driven training in the Comfort Dog Program, which prepares dogs for their future homes. 

Associate Dean of Students Angie Bryant and Reed trained with the dogs in Titusville before bringing them to Belmont. 

“This was an intentional effort by the university to ensure that there were additional resources for promoting well-being,” said Bryant. “We pitched this program multiple years back.” 

Over the past year, Campus Security has increased its student outreach through campus events. 

“We wanted to kind of bridge the gap between students and faculty and staff seeing us as law enforcement or first responder type security,” said Reed. “We wanted them to be able to feel more comfortable with approaching us, and we feel like Tunes has already and will continue to do that.”  

Both dogs are property of the university, though they do not live on campus 24/7. The Paws and Stripes College selected them for Belmont based on the bond they formed during training. Their sizes also help them fulfill the specific needs of their roles. 

“The university wanted two dogs that were compatible; they’re friends,” said Student Programming and Support Specialist Tara Davis. “We knew that Tunes would be walking campus more… and with Doe, we wanted more of a lap-sized dog.” 

Davis views the dogs’ roles as extensions of Belmont’s mental health resources. Though it may not be the right fit for everyone, spending time with a campus dog requires less long-term commitment than counseling services. 

“We’re trying to provide all levels of mental health support. Being able to interact with a dog can have the same effect as destressing somebody,” said Davis. 

Student organizations can request Professor Doe’s attendance at their events, but individual students cannot book one-on-one time with him. They can instead visit Doe during his office hours in the Beaman Student Life Center. 

It is not currently possible to request time with Tunes, but Campus Security plans to allow it in the future. 

Belmont Counseling can be reached at 615-460-6856. Counseling resources can be found on the TimelyCare app, which is available 24/7.  

-   

This article was written by Ria Skyer with contributory reporting from Elisabeth Gage.