Progressive Pediatric Therapy has a new four-legged team member! We are so excited to welcome Cotter to our Animal Assisted Therapy program. Cotter is a trained service dog owned by Physical Therapy Assistant, Ivette Matias. He joins Tippy, a trained service dog owned by Occupational Therapist, Willow Rossi.

Ivette and Cotter use Animal Assisted Therapy as a modality during physical therapy sessions. Cotter has more than 2 years of advanced training with Canine Companions for Independence, the largest provider of assistance dogs in the country. After completing an intensive training at CCI’s Orlando facility, Ivette became Cotter’s official handler.

Cotter is trained in 40+ commands that are great motivators during a therapeutic session. His laid back calming demeanor helps clients feel relaxed and comfortable, which is especially useful during stretching and range of motion activities that can potentially be difficult for a patient with limited mobility. Cotter assists Ivette’s son Kai with his daily activities after school hours and is eager to see a few select clients with mom during the day.