Therapy Dog Ready to Serve

Story by Raquel Cloma

Commander Navy Region Hawaii

When Tuukka was training to be a therapy dog, his favorite place to practice his skills was The Home Depot. The massive home improvement store is noisy and full of people and activity – just the type of environment the 5-year-old golden retriever needed to prepare him to provide comfort and affection to a wide array of people in a variety of settings.

“I took him with me wherever I could so that he had as much exposure to different sounds, people, floor textures, smells and environments,” explained Jackie Hugger, Tuukka’s owner. Tuukka was also introduced to different types of mobility aids such as crutches, walkers and wheelchairs to get him comfortable approaching people who relied on them.

Jackie and her husband, Dave, an active-duty Sailor stationed at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, adopted Tuukka in 2019 when he was eight weeks old. They were living in Norfolk, Virginia at the time. Tuukka was named after Finnish hockey player Tuukka Rask, a goalie with the Boston Bruins for 15 seasons. Tuukka means “one who fights with thunder,” which is completely opposite of the golden retriever’s calming character.

Jackie trained Tuukka to obey commands and would take him to dog parks, where he was complimented on his good temperament and gentle nature. In 2021, when Jackie started working at a veterinary hospital at a new duty station in Jacksonville, Florida, she met a client whose small dog was trained to do therapy work. That got her thinking about becoming a therapy team with Tuukka. She connected with Pet Partners, one of two nationally recognized programs for therapy animal teams, to learn more about the process.

“I decided to work with Pet Partners because they are very hands on and is the only program that requires teams to renew every two years, as this ensures the animal and handler are both eager to continue to volunteer with the program,” she said. “This aspect is very important to me as I want Tuukka to enjoy our work as much as I do.”

Pet Partners requires all handlers to enroll in a course that evaluates and tests how an animal reacts in various situations such as when people are yelling, when groups of people are at different levels like kneeling or standing, or when there are many hands on a pet, touching sensitive areas such as their tails, ears, and paws. Tuukka passed his test in April 2021, and through the Pet Partners’ network, joined the Campus Canine program at the University of North Florida, where he helped reinforce the human-animal bond. Jackie and Tuukka would go to the university’s library every Tuesday to hang out with students and attend campus events where students could interact with him.

Jackie and Tuukka also visited assisted living facilities, where Tuukka would spend time with residents who had dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders.

Research shows that interacting with animals can improve a person’s emotional and physical well-being by lowering their blood pressure, decreasing stress, calming heart and respiratory rates and increasing mood-boosting endorphins, among other beneficial outcomes. According to the USO, with emotional and mental health listed as some of the top issues that face active-duty military families today, utilizing therapy dogs can help service members struggling with the challenges of military life.

Since moving to Hawaii in 2023, Jackie has been looking for opportunities to get involved with the local community, particularly military personnel and their families. Tuukka was recently invited to visit Navy Region Hawaii headquarters where he was the center of attention. As he made his way around the building, many stopped to hug and pet the affable canine outfitted in a purple vest that said “Pet Me.”

“We are hoping to become regulars on base and possibly connect with the Morale, Wellness, and Recreation program, which is hoping to get therapy dogs into the barracks,” Jackie shared. “We love what we do and to merge two things important to our family – giving back to our community and the love of our military – it’s the best of both worlds for us!”

Jackie and Tuukka have been visiting a child development center in Kailua that does PT, OT, and speech therapy. They are also looking into opportunities with the new VA Clinic in Kapolei.

When Tuukka isn’t working, he loves to go for walks and hikes. He also enjoys going to the beach and digging holes in the sand. “He will do just about anything for a string cheese snack and loves cuddling with his many toys,” said Jackie.

Follow Tuukka’s adventures on Instagram @tuukkathegoldenretriever.