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Puppies Teach Meeting Attendees

The best prescription for stress: a little puppy love. Sunrise Springs Integrative Wellness Resort in Santa Fe, New Mexico, offers meeting attendees puppy enrichment and canine interaction programs where guests can learn handling techniques, practice activities with dogs, take walks or simply cuddle up with a pup.

Sunrise Springs developed the program partially because of a body of research that claims animals help improve self-awareness, self-esteem, cardiovascular health and other physical benefits. Participants will focus on developing skills in patience, reinforcement, empathy and clear communication.

The resort partnered with Assistance Dogs of the West for the programs that range from interacting with puppies to learning training techniques with adult service dogs.

“There are few moments in life that are as poignant and fulfilling as holding a puppy and sharing those unconditional moments of connection and love,” said Linda Milanesi, executive director of Assistance Dogs of the West.

Guests can also interact with purring chickens at the resort’s on-site silkie chicken coop. The resort offers programs with this unusual breed of chicken, which purrs and interacts with people much more than other more common chicken breeds.

Meeting planner can also consider team-building options of yoga, therapeutic gardening, culinary arts and expressive arts at the resort. For more information, visit www.sunrisesprings.com.