A dozen Paws With A Cause puppies are in service dog training at Grand Rapids’ Life EMS Ambulance headquarters. The puppies are familiarized with ambulances, equipment, and personnel in a controlled setting.
“For young puppies, especially as they’re learning and growing, if they can have a positive experience when they’re young with something that might be kind of weird to them in the future, like being in an ambulance or hearing those sirens, it can be really helpful.”
Paws With A Cause Foster Puppy Training Coordinator Megan Ouding says the focus is on making a service dog-in-training comfortable with the unexpected in real world emergency situations.
“As they go on in a working career, they might be with a client with a disability and they may end up in a situation where they’re around things like that.”
Or when there’s some down time to be playful with Life EMS Ambulance team members.
“I hope that the dogs can have a really great experience as well and learn a little bit about being in an ambulance or being around first responders, people in uniforms, things like that.”
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