Best in Show: Sidon at Moeller

You might have noticed a Yellow Labrador Retriever in the counselors’ offices, in the Signs of Suicide sessions, and in College Knowledge. That dog is Sidon. Sidon is a trained service dog that has been at Moeller since the beginning of the school year.

Sidon is a two-year-old Lab who has completed two years of training to become a service dog. When he was almost complete in his training, Sidon began to shadow Moeller in spring of 2022 to make sure it was the correct fit for him.

Being a trained service dog, Sidon is allowed to be in the building and can assist counselors in assessing and treating students. Sidon also is at Moeller to help with emotional support; when exam time comes, you will see Sidon roaming the halls with one of the counselors as his handler. Science has shown that dogs help reduce blood pressure and stress, as well as increase positive mind function.

Sidon, Moeller’s service dog extraordinaire!

Aside from being an excellent service dog, Sidon is also very smart. The counselors try to keep him busy by giving him challenging toys and teaching him new tricks. One of the toys the counselors give him is a Kong that they fill with one of Sidon’s favorite treats. Mrs. Merica says that they have yet to find a puzzle toy challenging enough for him, “He (Sidon) is too smart for the puzzle toys; he figures them out in two minutes.” After finishing his not-so-challenging puzzle toys, he likes to spend his time playing with his stuffed dragon.

If you happen to see Sidon in the halls, the counselors ask that you follow a protocol before approaching or petting him. Before approaching Sidon, make sure you are out of the way of other people so you don’t cause a blockage in the hallways. Second, make sure you ask the handler if you can pet him before approaching him. The counselors ask that no more than two people approach him at a time, so he doesn’t feel crowded. If you can pet Sidon, he likes to be petted everywhere besides the back of his head, and of course, be gentle with him.

If you want or need to be seen by our school counselors, they are available during the school day in the counselor’s office. Or if you just want to see Sidon, he spends most of his time in the counselor’s office and you are welcome to pop in any time.