To mark Lola’s first birthday, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin spoke with her handler to get an update on her training and progress over the past year.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS − The Wood County Sheriff’s Office therapy dog is turning 1 year old, and on Friday the department threw Lola a first birthday party. Everyone in the community was invited to attend.

Lola’s handler, Jail Lt. Susanna Wagner, said getting a picture with Lola is very popular with people in the community, so Lola posed for a photo with every person who made a donation to the South Wood County Humane Society at her birthday party.

Wagner said the party was a way to show the community that Lola is their dog too.

“It seemed like the perfect thing to do,” Wagner said, noting that although Lola is only 1 year old she has already taken on the job of helping people in the community.

‘I want her to get to be a puppy’

Wagner took Lola to work with her the day after she got Lola. The black Labrador retriever has gone to work with Wagner most days since then. As part of the energetic dog’s training, Wagner has made sure Lola has had as many opportunities to interact with all kinds of people as possible.

Wagner said when she takes Lola’s home collar off, Lola knows it’s time to go to work. Lola jumps right into Wagner’s vehicle. Lola loves meeting people, standing patiently while they pet her and then smelling their shoes, Wagner said. Occasionally, someone inspires Lola to jump up and get closer, which Wagner quickly corrects. Lola may be turning a year old, but she’s still a puppy, Wagner said.

“I want her to get to be a puppy and do all the things a puppy does,” Wagner said.

Wagner originally wanted Lola to get certified as a therapy dog right after she turned 1, but she has since changed her mind. Lola has started the therapy training and it’s ongoing, but Wagner isn’t rushing her. In the meantime, Lola seems to instinctively know what to do.

Lola may be calm most of the time and take frequent naps while at her job at the jail, but she starts burning off energy the minute she gets home, Wagner said. Wagner has other dogs and Lola will wrestle with the larger one. Lola will help the smaller one get into trouble by digging holes for it under the chicken coop fence. The little dog then goes in and brings back chicken food to share with Lola.

Lola is already making a difference at the jail

It had been Wagner’s idea to get a therapy dog for the jail after she learned about similar dogs helping people in nursing homes and other institutions. The Wood County Sheriff’s Office was offered a dog early this year. With the new jail expected to open in early 2025, providing more opportunities for programming to the inmates, it seemed like the perfect time to begin a therapy dog program.

Wagner started taking Lola to work every day so the therapy dog would get used to the environment she’d be spending time in. Wagner wanted Lola to hear jail doors slamming and all the other noises that go with being in a jail. Wagner also wanted Lola to be around as many people as possible to get her used to them.

While Lola was at the jail getting ready for her future job, she already was making a difference. Wagner discovered coworkers who came into the office in a bad mood suddenly had a smile on their faces once they spent a moment with Lola. Inmates would soften and let their guard down a little when they got to interact with the little black lab.

“Lola doesn’t care if someone is wearing orange or if they’re in jail,” Wagner said.

One day, an inmate was having problems and needed to be restrained. His blood pressure was high. Wagner walked by with Lola and he called out, “doggie,” Wagner said. The man calmed down and his blood pressure returned to a normal level.

Lola gives the inmates a chance to talk about something other than their court appearances and cases, Wagner said. When they see Lola, they get a chance to talk about dogs they had as children or the dogs they miss at home. Some inmates start crying because they miss their dogs, Wagner said.

Lola’s instincts to help people has surprised handler

Wagner hoped Lola would be able to make a difference in the lives of the jail inmates, children going through difficult things, emergency services members and the public after the black lab became certified, but Lola’s ability to just instinctively help people while still a puppy has surprised Wagner.

During a football game Wagner took Lola to, a young boy came and sat down next to Lola and stayed there the whole game. Lola just laid down and let the boy pet her the whole time. During an event to raise money for Special Olympics, Lola stayed calm despite many of the attendees with disabilities screaming and running around. It was like Lola knew she had to remain calm, Wagner said.

Lola is the community’s dog and Wagner has taken her to an event almost every weekend this year. She’s been to nursing homes, fire departments and schools. Lola was seen at an Easter egg hunt, Paint with the Police and the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department’s Haunted Walk Through.

The black lab also is popular in the courthouse. When Wagner walks her through the hallways, everyone wants to say hello to Lola and pet her. Wagner has taken her to be outside courtrooms when a case involves children. She hasn’t taken Lola into a courtroom when its in session, but people involved in the cases can pet Lola in the hallway before going inside.

Crowds of people don’t bother Lola at all, Wagner said. When she’s gone to schools and excited children have surrounded her, Lola just lays on her side and enjoys all the petting. She likes being with children, and Wagner said she is good with them.