Kitchi hasn't had a hard time making friends at his new job, but of course, it helps that he's a soft, blonde, golden doodle.
"He's nice," said Victoria, a 6-year-old patient.
The two-year-old pup joined the Montreal Children's Hospital pet therapy program in January.
Once a week, he works with Zootherapy Quebec's intervention worker Sarah Archambault, to reduce young patients' stress levels.
"Just the effect of touching, petting, the heat of the dog, the breath of the dog...everything is going to be a calming effect," said Archambault.
Kitchi spends 15 minutes to an hour with patients, including Victoria.
The girl has been treated at the hospital for blood cancer for about a year.
Her mother, Angela, says Victoria looks forward to visits with fun activities planned.
"I think it still makes them feel like children while they're going through treatments or seeing the doctors or nurses or whatever they're here for," said Angela, who chose not to share her last name.
The golden doodle is the second dog on the hospital's child life services team. Its professional coordinator Sabrina Drudi says the therapy program helps 400 children per year.
Now with the extra paws, they hope to double that number.
"Being able to offer it a second day a week, we're able to offer it to more ambulatory patients and also for patients with ASD, autism spectrum disorder," said Drudi.
Hospital staff say that on top of providing comfort, the dogs help patients reach their goals.
"If they have to work on walking after a surgery, it motivates them," said Drudi.
Kitchi has a family of his own. The hospital work is just his day job, paid in belly rubs and treats.
However, it seems Kitchi was born for the position.
"The owner at some point noticed that he had an impact on people, and at some point, he met this woman, and she became very emotional when she saw Kitchi, so he said, 'oh, maybe there's something special about this dog,'" said Archambault.
That 'something special' leaves young patients with a smile during the fight of their lives.
