When certified child life specialist Kizzy Marco signed up to work with a service dog, she didn't know exactly what to expect. But when she met her canine partner, Ralph Lauren, and learned how their work together could enhance the care she provides to kids, facility dog handler quickly became part of her identity. Ultimately, Ralph reshaped the trajectory of her career and life.

Over the years, Kizzy and Ralph have pioneered the work of hospital dogs and inspired child life departments across the country to add this lifechanging component of patientcentered care to their hospitals.

When Kizzy and Ralph started at Children's Hospital Colorado in early 2019, we decided to call him Ralph, Medical Dog – or Ralph, MD, for short. Since then, our pack of "MDs" has expanded to four fulltime hospital dogs who partner with clinical handlers to care for patients at multiple locations. These dogs help patients heal from illness or injury and cope with the stress or anxiety that may come with a stay in the hospital. And while it may look like play, the work they do is clinical in nature and focused on improving outcomes.

Watch this "dogumentary" to learn what it's like to be a facility dog handler and how this unique program has changed the lives of Children's Colorado's patients, team members and careers of the dynamic duo: Kizzy and Ralph, MD.

02:19 When Kizzy met Ralph
03:25 Introducing the Medical Dog Program at Children's Colorado
05:13 What it takes to be a facility dog handler
08:49 How our Program works
17:56 Letting dogs be dogs
19:45 Ralph's legacy

To learn more about our Medical Dog Program, visit https://www.childrenscolorado.org/doc....

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