CALGARY – It’s one of the toughest weeks of the year for students at Calgary’s Bow Valley College.
“I have tests, the finals coming up and it’s super stressful,” business student Daniel Durdey said.
But he’s finding a visit Tuesday with some cute little puppies is making a big difference.
“Just petting a dog,” Durdey explained, “just so great.”
The canine cuddlers are training to be service dogs with the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society, eventually being paired up with a physically-disabled person.
The dogs also benefit from the visit with the students, according to volunteer puppy-raiser Madeleine Kapiczowski.
“These dogs work in public every day, so it’s really good for the dogs to get used to people touching them,” Kapiczowski said.
Petting four-month-old “Dasher” was a very welcome break for hospital administration student Breanne Markowski.
“I have a constant stress pressure on me and being around him just helps lift that away, so it’s calming and relaxing,” she said.”It’s going to help me in my exam tomorrow.”