Members of the DogSquad work in K-12 classrooms, helping kids with special needs in speech therapy, occupational therapy, and even reading! The DogSquad offers students the chance to make a mistake without judgment or correction. We also help with behavior support in the areas of bullying, completing tasks and self-worth. Our one-of-a-kind K9U program focuses specifically on utilizing teachers, students and dogs in training to create a symbiotic relationship in which all stakeholders can benefit. Teachers foster dogs in training and the K9s go to school with them each day. Students earn time with the dogs to teach them basic obedience and tricks, increasing difficulty as the year progresses. School administrators, counselors and teachers have found that the overall campus climate is greatly improved when a dog is on campus. Students report less test anxiety and improved concentration during assignments. Attendance and test scores increase, as does student participation in extra curricular activities and class discussions. Our canine buddies help in various health-related environments. They can often be found comforting patients young and old in hospitals and nursing facilities. They even make house calls. Some of our puppies have grown up to be VIPs in their families, alerting mom when she is needed in another room or keeping grandma safe. The DogSquad has helped with grief and crisis support, Hospice needs and in physical therapy labs where they aid in mobility. Often, Bella's Buddies can be found in homes for the elderly where they bring joy to patients and staff. Cadets from the Corps of Cadets Squadron 6 ROTC program at Texas A&M volunteer with us throughout the year, taking the dogs to visit elderly veterans in the College Station community, swapping stories and "good bull" with longtime Old Ags. All dogs in training respond to schools in crisis. The DogSquad visits campuses across the Brazos Valley when there is a tragic loss to work with counselors and staff as school communities navigate the grief process. The DogSquad helps the Corps of Cadets during finals week and is on campus during Holiday on the Quad every year for the last 8 years.