CHICO — Weighing 167 pounds with a height of 28 inches, Gus, an English mastiff, gingerly approached students during Chico State’s Wags for Wellness event Thursday. Occasionally, he plopped to the floor for belly rubs.

“He gets mistaken for a Bullmastiff frequently, because he is small for his breed,” said Gus’s owner Robin Wilson. “Believe it or not, he’s just a little guy.”

Twice a month, therapy dogs such as Gus descend into the basement of Chico State’s Bell Memorial Union to receive pets and countless smiles. Hosted by the university’s wellness center, The Well, Wags for Wellness is one of the center’s various programs aimed at helping students decompress and find balance. Thursday’s event featured 3-year-old Gus along with 10-year-old Darby, a Labrador retriever boasting 9 years of

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