Service dogs in training provide companionship to students

When junior Casey Pollard was looking for a house off-campus, big rooms, proximity to campus and private bathrooms were not at the top of her list. Instead, it was a fenced-in backyard.

Pollard needed the perfect backyard to accommodate Marvin, her yellow lab who is a Seeing Eye dog in training. She is a member of Puppy Raisers of UD, which pairs eligible students with a future service dog to care for.

Pollard became aware of the program as a sophomore after watching her resident assistant raise a puppy. The RA gave her the information to get involved, and she immediately took interest. Pollard attended the first PROUD meeting and said she fell in love with the program.

"I just missed my dog at home which is why I decided to do it, and I was like ‘well, it would be a really cool experience'," she said. "They show you how service dogs work with people and how important they are to them."

Before Pollard could bring Marvin home, she had to attend two meetings and take a quiz on command and care questions for Seeing Eye dogs. She then had to do 10 hours of puppy sitting, which is now being increased to 50 hours, Pollard said. After she passed her quiz and finished her hours she was able to be put on the waiting list for a puppy.

She said she remembers her first day with Marvin. It was her sophomore year and she was living in Smyth residence hall.

"Oh my God, I took a million pictures," Pollard said. "He was so cute, and he was just so adorable."

Each dog is named by its litter, the litter receives a letter in the alphabet and all dogs are named after the letter, Pollard said.

PROUD pays for all medical expenses for the dogs and they also give the raisers toys, a leash, crate and choke collar, as well as $75 every few months for food.

"Marvin is the biggest dog in the club; he is 102 pounds," she said.

The club requires Iams food, which is more expensive than other brands, and the $75 does not always cover expenses, Pollard said.

Marvin is with Pollard all day every day, unless he is being borrowed for puppy sitting or overnight visits with prospective members. Overnights are when the dogs stay at a friend's house for the night. It's a way the dog can become used to other people instead of their trainer, Pollard said.

Holly Woody, secretary of PROUD, said raising her puppy, Kurt, is a full-time job.

"He just does whatever I do," Woody said.

Woody's dog, however, did not pass to be a Seeing Eye dog for medical reasons–– she called it "a career change" for Kurt.  She adopted the dog and he stays at her house in Maryland. She said she sometimes feels upset when she thinks Kurt could have done something amazing for someone in need.

Currently, PROUD members are raising a total of 11 dogs, said Julia Robinson, Vice President of PROUD. Her first dog also did not pass due to skin allergies.

Robinson said some dogs still have some opportunities for service even if they do not pass the Seeing-Eye test. Norwood, a German Sheppard in the program, was food aggressive and could not be a Seeing Eye dog, but he was later accepted into the police academy.

Pollard hopes Marvin will pass, but she admitted that if he does not, she would be happy to adopt him. Currently, she is working on stopping him from barking when he is not being paid attention too.

Pollard said Marvin is in a stage where he tries to push his boundaries. At 15 months old, she has tohand him over for service soon –– the trainers typically raise the dogs until they are 14 to 18 months old. She said Marvin's company has been a great comfort to her and she will miss him when he is taken for official training.

"I love Marvin, he really helped me in every aspect of my life," Pollard said. "I was really depressed before I got him and it helps just seeing him every day, when he comes up to me and his butt is wiggling, and he's just so happy all the time. It's awesome."

After 15 months with Marvin, Pollard is extremely happy with his progress.

"I didn't think I would get so attached to him," she said.

Pollard said if the dates of when puppies are received and taken were more certain, she would take another dog in a heartbeat. However, going into her senior year she does not want to make a commitment to another animal that would be completely dependent on her.

"He's like my child," she said. "This has taught me to care for another life, it's really worth it."