Students at Calgary’s Bow Valley College are in for some “cuddle time,” as the Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS) returns to campus from April 4 to 5.
The puppies, which students can interact with, are training to become guide dogs for people with disabilities or are deaf or have hearing issues. The dogs are bred and trained to comply with international standards from Assistance Dogs International.
The dogs will learn important social skills, like focusing on instructions from their handlers in busy, crowded environments. They also benefit from meeting and engaging with several different people throughout the day at the college.
According to a release from the college, the visiting puppies help students “decompress” in the midst of their studying and writing as they prepare for final exams.
This will be the fifth time puppies from PADS visit the campus.
“The learners love the interactions with the puppies because it really helps them to relax before exams. It’s also a lot of fun, and the puppies truly benefit from interacting with learners,” said general manager Jay Decore in a release.
The puppies can be cuddled in room S2009, on the second floor of South Campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.