LOS ANGELES — Canine Companions future service dog Pauley enjoyed an afternoon of exciting college basketball when he joined volunteer puppy raisers Audrey and Kyubin for the December 7 UCLA game vs. Oregon.
In a major milestone on his journey to becoming an expertly trained Canine Companions service dog, the Bruins’ Big Ten Conference home-opener marked the first time Pauley could attend a UCLA women’s basketball game. Opportunities like this play a vital role in a future service dog’s preparation for professional training, with the exposure to crowds preparing the puppy for performing tasks in public, high-traffic situations.
And Pauley encountered plenty of new friends as he cheered on UCLA for an 80-59 win over the Ducks. Bruins fans greeted the future service dog and posed for photos. Among the friendships Pauley struck up was an immediate bond with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks team mascot, Sparky.
Pauley was also recognized between the first and second quarters, invited to midcourt at Pauley Pavilion as public address announcer Chuck White shared the mission of Canine Companions and the dedicated efforts of volunteers Audrey and Kyubin.
The raisers, members of the UCLA Collars Scholar program, are excited to share Pauley’s road to professional training with others through events like Sunday’s game, but it would not be possible without their commitment to Pauley’s maturation.
“We get to see his daily life,” Audrey says.
“It’s crazy seeing his progress in real-time,” Kyubin adds. “He settles into classes really easily and he’s able to go on longer walks.”
When it comes to the overall experience of puppy-raising, Audrey summarizes it best.
“It gets better every day,” she says.
