'He makes people's lives better': service dog in training brings connection to Fort Smith, N.W.T.

Stacy Gravel, a Fort Smith, N.W.T. resident, is teaching her English lab, JJ, to become a service dog. And while he's still in training, he's already bringing joy and a calming presence to locals.

JJ travels around the community visiting classrooms, the seniors' home, businesses and other organizations. His job is to comfort, connect, and alert. And to show what's possible when service dogs are part of daily life in the North.

Gravel said that everywhere they go, JJ lights up the room. 

"These dogs bring their own unique magic, their own unique energy," she said. "And they are able to do things that humans can't when it comes to connecting with people."

Gravel started the company Bright Light Therapy Dogs in 2024 with the goal of training service dogs for the north.

She has been training JJ, who's almost two, since he was nine weeks old. She said that JJ's training is unique, as he is being trained as both a service dog and a facility support dog.  

She is working with Summit Service Dogs, which is based in Alberta and certifies dogs for a range of tasks including medical alerts, anxiety management, socialization, diabetes scent detection and facility work.

The idea to train service and therapy dogs came from Gravel's personal experience. Years ago, when she fell ill, she felt a service dog would have been helpful, but none were available in the area. When she recovered, she made it her mission to bring that kind of support to others.

"It's important because we are at least 10 to 15 years behind the south when it comes to having service dogs, therapy dogs [and] facility dogs in our communities," she said.

One of JJ's regular stops is the Northern Lights Special Care Home. Resident Debbie Beaulieu, who grew up surrounded by animals and used to have 15 sled dogs, is grateful for JJ and Gravel's visits. 

"My face lights up when I see an animal. I love animals," she said. "It's good to have animals come to visit, because it lights up [the residents'] spirit. They need their spirit coming back."

Beaulieu said having JJ visit is a special part of her day, but it's also important for everyone there, including staff. She believes animals have a special way of connecting with people, and she said residents at the home need that.

"Animals understand a person," she said. "They don't need to say anything. They feel it when you pet them. So they don't have to speak, their eyes tell you what they know."

Gravel said JJ's calm demeanour around medical equipment is the result of careful training. He has been desensitized to wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen tanks, respirators, uniforms, and loud noises.

His preparation goes beyond basic obedience, she said, and includes scent alerts, behavioural cues, and specialized skills that allow him to provide emotional support. For example, he can detect changes in a person's energy or physical signs of distress and anxiety.

"So if somebody was shaking or if they were zoning out, he would tune into the different element of the energy," she said. "And then he would give a gentle touch to alert that there was something different."

Gravel says one of JJ's earliest breakthroughs came with a four-year-old girl who was largely nonverbal. After a few visits with JJ, she began to speak more. Several other children JJ has worked with in the community who were afraid of dogs now consider him a friend.

"He makes people's lives better. They shine every single time."

JJ is expected to complete his certifications later this year. Gravel says the plan is for him to continue working across the community and eventually, to help her train more dogs in the North by providing a model of calm, focused behaviour in different environments.

She hopes the visibility will help build awareness and infrastructure, so northerners don't always have to look south for support.

"He will be basically the ambassador for future dogs to come," she said. "Having JJ in the community allows people to interact with him, ask questions, and see what service dogs can do."

"He enriches our lives. What these dogs are capable of, it really is limitless."