Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights.
The dog days of summer are alive and well at Pensacola International Airport in Florida thanks to the Pup Patrol.
Each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Pup Patrol therapy dogs and their handlers circulate in the airport, offering stress relief, photo ops and trading cards to passengers.
"We want Southern hospitality integrated into the customer journey and Pup Patrol is our favorite program that does that," said Bryant Liggett, marketing and communications specialist at Pensacola International Airport. "From the smallest little kids all the way to the elderly, the Pup Patrol literally brings joy to every single person that comes across them."
Take Kira, a 6-year-old Shetland sheepdog handled by Connie Fleming. On a typical shift, Kira might stop a child from crying or sit in the lap of a nervous traveler until it's time to board her flight. The well-behaved Sheltie is always happy to meet new friends.
"Kira shakes hands with people," Fleming said. "She sits pretty, she jumps through my arms, she does a few obedience commands, she picks things up and hands it to me. And of course, those kinds of things people find so delightful. They just love it."
The dozen dogs on Pup Patrol represent a variety of breeds, including Cavalier King Charles spaniel, beagle, Australian shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Tibetan spaniel, Labrador retriever, goldendoodle and mixed breeds. All are registered therapy dogs, mostly with the nonprofit Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
"It really turns out to be a good thing for the public because they see dogs they've had, or dogs they would like or dogs they are interested in," Fleming said. "We have people every single day tell us, 'You just made my day.'"
Pup Patrol trading cards, which share photos of each dog and fun facts about them, are a hit, too. Recently, Fleming saw a little boy sitting on the floor of the concourse with his collection of trading cards spread out in front of him. He would spot a dog on Pup Patrol, grab their card and run to show it to them.
Most passengers pause to pose for photos with the pups, according to Fleming.
"We usually have four or five dogs here, which creates an immediate impression. People come flocking to see the dogs," she said. "They love taking photographs of the dogs. If we had a dollar for every photograph that was taken, we'd all be rich."
The "puparazzi" go particularly wild when the dogs dress up for holidays -- from major holidays to wearing roses on National Red Rose Day -- as well as special events, like when Pensacola hosts the science fiction and comics convention Pensacon. Most dress as "Star Trek" characters (Kira is even named for a character in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine").
Pensacola International Airport has received 500 emails from grateful passengers praising the Pup Patrol. The dogs are also a hit with airport staff, according to Fleming.
"The staff that passes by stops and pets them, they know all the dogs by name. It's absolutely wonderful," she said. "And I did have one of them say, 'Guess what? I just had my shift changed so I could be here on Thursday mornings.'"
Like other handlers on the Pup Patrol team, Fleming loves sharing her dog with other people. In fact, Kira also volunteers as a therapy dog at nursing homes and at the University of West Florida. The well-trained dog also competes in agility and square dances with Fleming.
Ultimately, Fleming finds volunteering with Pup Patrol incredibly rewarding.
"It just makes you feel so good when you see people look up and smile," she said. "You talk to someone you don't know but all of a sudden you have something in common with them. In a world that is sometimes a little unhappy and very stressful, to see people actually relax and smile and think about happy things while the dogs are there -- it just makes you so proud."