Passing the Love Along – How a Webster Professor and Her Dog Are Making a Difference

Julie Palmer has taught in Webster’s Department of Management for the past 14 years and serves as president of the Faculty Senate. Between these two roles, Palmer still makes time for volunteer work - with a 3-year-old Samoyed dog by her side.  

Palmer first entered the world of therapy dog work when her husband was hospitalized for several months. During this hospital stay, therapy dogs would come by for bedside visits. Through these visits, Palmer and her husband were able to experience a moment of joy amidst the stress of hospitalization.   

After Palmer’s husband passed, Palmer chose to become a therapy dog volunteer herself. She saw the positive difference it made for her husband during his hospital stay and wanted to help bring that same comfort to others.

“The best part of this volunteer job is that I get to provide a ‘little break’ for a patient, patient’s family members, or hospital staff from the daily stress of being a patient/family member/medical professional. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard, ‘this made my day.’ That’s music to my ears.”

Palmer and her pup, Jules, visit Barnes-Jewish Hospital once a week. They also routinely visit four different nursing homes, an adult daycare, and a hospice facility.  

Jules is Palmer’s third Samoyed dog, so Palmer is no stranger to raising the breed. When asked about Jules’ best qualities, Palmer cited her intelligence, sweetness, curiosity, excitement when meeting new people, and of course, her smile.

“Jules’ formative years were smack in the middle of COVID, so I had ample time to train her. She does the husky ‘howl’ when she is happy, and when she meets new folks – it's like a personal greeting. At 3 ½ years old, she is curious about everything, which often gets me to look up/around to see what she is investigating!”  

Although Palmer began volunteering in the world of therapy dog work to make an impact on others, it nonetheless has made an impact on her too.

“This work has shown me and will continue to show me that no matter what, no matter where we are and under what circumstances, we can stop and find a little joy.  This translates well to both teaching and research...especially when one gets stuck on a difficult manuscript or trying to determine the best way to reach a particular student...that it helps to stop, take a minute, and then move forward.” 

Palmer encourages anyone with a well-trained pup and willingness to spread joy to consider becoming certified for volunteering.  

“There are two great organizations in Saint Louis that one can go through the certification process with - Champ Therapy Dogs and Duo Therapy Dogs. With each, your dog has to first pass a temperament test, and if they pass, you begin four months of training with a class each week. At the end, you take a final exam with your dog.  If you pass, then you can visit facilities like Barnes-Jewish and pass the love along!”