Meet Winnie, the Golden Retriever Service Dog Who Joined a University's Marching Band with Her Owner

Mar. 15, 2025

One unofficial member of theUniversity of Northern Iowa’s marching bandhas taken to the field (on all fours) in full regalia, and fans love it.

UNI sophomore Gabi Riessen’s journey with hergolden retriever service dog, Winnie, began about 18 months ago. Riessen initially attended a different college and faced difficulties participating in band and theater due to her need to have a service animal present, perUNI.

Riessen, per the school, has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that “causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness, and fatigue,” according to theCleveland Clinic. The school noted that Winnie’s role is to notice changes in her owner that would come before fainting. This information allows Riessen to get to a safe spot to avoid injury while Winnie lies beside her for protection.

“As we talked through things, it became more and more clear to me that not only did I think that it would be OK, I actually thought we’d be able to make it work very, very well,” Mertz said of Riessen’s request, perABC affiliate KCRG. “I’m a music educator, and we believe that music is for everyone, and it’s our mission to provide these musical and educational opportunities for every single student.”

However, despite being allowed to join the team with Winnie, Riessen had some initial concerns about the pup’s ability to participate.

“When I came in, we weren’t sure if I was going to march or if I was just going to be in the frontline,” she recalled. “Mertz said, ‘Let’s try it,’ and we did. Usually, Winnie isn’t spatially aware of things. But when we would march forward and backward, she picked it up with no problem. Honestly, I think she’s a better marcher than me. She’s just really good at adapting to any situation I put her in.”

With help from these preventative measures, Winnie has joyously taken on her role as a part of the color guard.

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Naturally, Riessen is equally grateful for Winnie’s role in her life, both on and off the field.

“Winnie has made it where I can be like a normal person again,” she shared. “I can do band because she’ll let me know if I’m okay, and I can go to my classes. Before her, we didn’t know if college was going to be an option.”

source: people.com