UPDATE: Puppies will visit again on Tuesday, Jan. 21 during fifth block, according to an email from counselor Mrs. Jennifer Salvage.
On Friday Jan. 27, SHHS held another puppy visit for students during fifth block.
The visits, organized by counselor Mrs. Jennifer Salvage, have been wildly successful among the student body with crowds lining up by the library, on the tennis courts, or any of the other locations used in the past.
Puppy visits are designed to relax students after a hard week of learning and have proven to do just that. Salvage has arranged a partnership with To Love a Canine Rescue, a rescue organization that brings selected puppies to the school. Especially in the first week of the second semester, the visit was cherished among students and faculty.
This recent visit was organized differently than ones in the past, due to the overwhelming crowds of students that fill the hallways who have, on occasion, disrupted the calm environment.
Instead of students piling up at the doors by the library and guidance suite, Salvage made it a goal to keep students in small circles where one puppy would be able to roam amongst each group.
Salvage explained that as amazing as it is to have students excited about seeing the puppies, the noise level and energy can stress out the pups.
“We had one puppy, the last time, that was terrified of the crowd and just seemed overwhelmed by the noise,” she said. “He calmed down eventually, but he was just the kind of pup who needed to be in someone’s lap and that was hard with the amount of people and their excitement.”
Not only is the event hosted for the student’s benefit, but it’s also hosted so that young puppies can learn to socialize with each other and with humans. With a calm and organized environment, they are able to enjoy themselves just as much as students enjoy them.
The students who participated had a great time. They cuddled, played, and walked with the dogs in a relaxed setting where everyone had a turn and got to visit with one or more of the pups.
The date of the next event is to be determined, but Salvage hopes to organize more visits in the upcoming months.
