Through the program, Dogs in the Dell, students have the opportunity to raise and train a service dog throughout the academic year. After their training, the service dogs will be placed with a partner to serve. The club on campus is partnered with Susquehanna Service Dogs (SSD), and this year, Emma Klein, a double major in both neuroscience and psychology, is raising SSD Bailey on campus.
SSD Bailey is described by Klein as a “sleepy, cuddly, and really smart yellow lab who loves to eat sticks off the ground.” At three months old, Bailey has become the sweetest part of Klein’s daily routine. According to Klein, SSD Bailey keeps her active throughout the week, and the pair can often be spotted taking walks around campus, hanging out before class, or in Klein’s labs, enjoying being by her side.
While raising a puppy on campus can seem daunting when you’re not only keeping up with classes but also balancing a social life with raising a puppy that depends on you, the work is definitely rewarding and makes up for a few sleepless nights you may have in the beginning. For Klein, who has always been a dog person, raising Bailey has been worth it, fitting nicely into each other’s schedules and overall lives.
Dogs in the Dell isn’t only about raising service dogs; it’s also about community. Klein said that Dogs in the Dell is a “great little community that’s always there to help out, and is kind of like a family.” Every Tuesday, the club hosts puppy classes for basic training. According to Klein, keeping up with the puppy classes along with vet appointments can, at times, be quite time-consuming. However, raising Bailey in these three months has been worth the time commitment.
Klein started her journey with Dogs in the Dell last year, witnessing a powerful and emotional speech made by a member of the club. To Klein, what she heard opened her eyes to how impactful raising a dog could be and positively influenced her decision to become a raiser this year. “[the speaker] talked about how [Dogs in the Dell] really gave her her life back.”
Dogs in the Dell isn’t only about giving back to the community, although that is a big part of the club. It’s also about giving back to yourself and connecting with an animal who truly brings a spark to your life.
“I think people forget how much service dogs can help them.” And for Klein, SSD Bailey has really helped her on so many levels. Klein said, “he’s a nice, calming presence, and just a nice thing to come back to at the end of the day.”
Being part of Dogs in the Dell has had such a positive impact on Klein, and she advises people who have a love for dogs and a passion to serve their community to come to information sessions where you can get all of your questions answereds, chat with members, and reach out.
Raising a service dog is a huge time commitment. But with a love for dogs and a passion for helping the community, students could gain a lot from an experience such as this: teaching responsibility, the importance of service animals, and giving people a community of individuals with some of the same interests to become part of.
IAnd it may even become a doorway for individuals into a new choice in career or a lifelong hobby. Dogs in the Dell is definitely a club worth checking out and considering becoming a part of if you have a love for dogs and community.
