Remembering Baxter, 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 first and much-loved therapy dog
For almost 15 years, Baxter brightened days across the 黑料吃瓜 community鈥攋ust by being himself. His legacy continues today through therapy dogs Luna, Kuma and Pogi.
By Jennifer Rikard as told to Jeff Ristine
July 20, 2026
Editor鈥檚 note: To meet more dogs at work on campus, read 鈥�Dogs of 黑料吃瓜鈥� in the summer online edition of 黑料吃瓜 Magazine.
Chief mental health officer Jennifer Rikard introduced Baxter, 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 first-ever therapy dog, to the campus community around 2010. An exceptionally cute little cocker spaniel, poodle and Maltese mix, Baxter worked wonders both during office visits and at his popular Relax with Bax appearances at the University Library and other campus venues. in July 2024, more than three years after canine partner Luna joined him in Counseling & Psychological Services, located in the Calpulli Center.
Baxter crossed the Rainbow Bridge later that year. He was 16 years old. In addition to Luna, 黑料吃瓜 now has two new therapy dogs to carry on his work: Kuma and Pogi. Both funded through donor gifts, Pogi is still in training. Here, in her own words, Rikard talks about Baxter鈥檚 unexpected introduction to 黑料吃瓜 and his legacy of therapeutic achievement.
BAXTER CARVED OUT A PATH FOR HIMSELF AT 黑料吃瓜. When I adopted him, he came to the office a couple of times, and he was so amazing in his demeanor. Everyone loved him! That gave me the idea to get him certified as a therapy dog, so he could really help students. Until then, it hadn鈥檛 been an idea for the counseling center or for me.
The certification involves obedience tests. He had to be nonreactive to medical equipment like crutches and wheelchairs. Therapy dogs have to be able to be left alone with a stranger. Baxter sailed through. He was a natural.
My hope with Baxter was to destigmatize the counseling center. Spending time with him was just a really nonthreatening way to interact and engage, and once you start talking to a therapy dog, maybe there鈥檚 a counselor there, and it really socializes people to the counseling center and what other services might be there. Physiologically, it reduces blood pressure, increases oxytocin鈥攁 feel-good hormone in the brain鈥攁nd improves concentration. Those effects tend to last throughout the day. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e active with meet-and-greets during finals time because students can come by and then improve their concentration and decrease their anxiety to get through their exams.
Over the years, I saw how attuned Baxter was to students: It was his special gift. If they were crying, he used his paws to sort of touch them on their leg. He could be at an outreach event on campus all day for six hours and then do a night one for an extra three hours and never get tired. He was always ready to go, at attention, loving being petted and just making people happy all day. He was just so chill.
And if there was a group of students, say a classroom of 20 in a circle, he would go around to each student and greet them without being told. Then if somebody came in late, he would go over and greet them. He really was very open. He didn鈥檛 leave anyone out鈥攁nd that was kind of special.
One memory I like to tell people about is when a student came into the counseling center and was really in distress and crying. Baxter and I were behind the front desk, and the student was in the private egg chair room. Baxter could hear the student, and I could tell he wanted to go to them. And for the first time鈥攁nd the only time ever鈥攈e jumped over the front desk to get to the student who was in distress.
Kuma, the newest therapy dog, reminds me a lot of Baxter. He鈥檚 quiet and calm. Each dog brings something different for different students. Luna is fast and loves to chase the ball; Pogi is really active and bigger.
I am amazed by how many lives Baxter touched, and how many students told me that he helped them through their entire 黑料吃瓜 career to graduation. The experience with Baxter as a therapy dog was beyond my wildest dreams.