Service dogs put to the test at Target

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One recent evening at the Target parking lot in Hollister, a group of labrador retrievers and their handlers gathered to continue their service dog certification process. 

They were in stage two of their test, just headed into the store after their first stage at Monkey Tail Ranch, a Hollister nonprofit that breeds and trains service dogs. The final test would be at a restaurant downtown where the notoriously food-motivated dogs must calmly sit through dinner. 

While inside Target, the dogs had to focus on commands and stay calm throughout the many distractions in the store. Evelyn Carmona, 10, was shopping with her family when she was asked to participate by petting all the dogs as a test of their socialization skills.

All five service dogs (except one still in training) are facility dogs at elementary, middle and high schools in San Benito County. Through Monkey Tail Ranch, schools can lease the dogs by paying a monthly fee.

Alternatively, the dogs and their handlers can work with the ranch by providing insights on the dogs’ performance—part of compiling data about how the dogs interact with kids. 

That is how every school in San Benito is currently able to access the program, which is primarily made possible through grants and donations. 

“Our goal is to ultimately have enough data from these schools to be able to publish what the best practices for service and working dogs are,” said Monkey Tail Ranch Executive Director and founder Elise Lalor. 

Director of Specialized Student Services and Special Education at San Benito High School District Paulette Cobb, a major contributor to the effort, takes notes at school on her dog Shout’s moods and impact on students. She said when Shout’s vest is on she becomes a different dog. 

“She literally gets proud,” Cobb said. “She picks her head up, she’s got her tail up and she sort of marches into school.”

North County Joint Union School District Superintendent/Principal Jenny Bernosky is the primary handler for Molly, a 10-year-old dog at Spring Grove Elementary and one of the first facility dogs in San Benito County.

“I don’t know what we’d do without a dog at Spring Grove,” Bernosky said. “Students are overjoyed to see Molly every day.”

Molly was recertified for the last time as she will be retiring soon. 

Memphis, a yellow lab whose primary handler is Bernosky’s husband, Rob, will be succeeding her at Spring Grove. 

Also certified by the end of the night was Toaster, who got an initial certification with Aromas-San Juan Unified School District. U-Haul, the fifth dog participating as a trial run, is still in training and most likely the next service dog that will be placed at a school in the county.

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