BOARDMAN — Therapy dogs from a Mahoning Valley volunteer support group called PAWS — Providing Affection, Well being and Support — made a recent trip to Boardman High School.

These dogs have visited the school for Lunch and Learn efforts in the past. The dogs are popular with the students, and counselors say they can help decrease test anxiety and help students to relax.

“We bring the dogs in multiple times of the year to provide emotional support for the students,” high school counselor Gina Crilley said. “We’re wrapping up the third nine weeks right now, and we know that students can be stressed out with testing and grades. This can really help.”

Chemistry teacher Larry Davis also is one of the support dog owners in the PAWS program, and he brought his 4-year-old mini Goldendoodle, Desi, to work with him.

“Desi loves the students as much as they love her,” said Davis. “We go to nursing homes, hospitals, agencies like Children’s Services … if people make a request, we try to fill it.”

“It’s funny, after Desi spends a day like this, she does nothing but sleep when she gets home … all the attention is exhausting,” he joked.