Prospective service dog Iggy greets Giant Eagle customers in Cranberry Township
CRANBERRY TWP — Shoppers at one local supermarket on Thursday, Aug. 4, were greeted by more than just fresh produce and canned goods.
A black Labrador puppy named Iggy raised awareness for both National Service Dog Month and Suicide Prevention Month during an appearance at the Giant Eagle just off Route 19.
Iggy is training with K9s For Warriors to become a post-traumatic stress disorder service dog for a veteran in need.
The visit was brought about through a partnership between Giant Eagle and Sparkling Ice, two companies helping the nonprofit rescue and train prospective dogs.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Giant Eagle to sponsor little Iggy’s training and to help spread the word about K9s For Warriors,” said Sparkling Ice in a statement. “Hopefully, it inspires more people to get involved to help support the work we’re currently supporting.”
Through the first two years of the cooperation, Sparkling Ice said the companies have successfully trained and paired 17 service dogs with veterans.
It takes more than a year to prepare a puppy for service. As part of the process, 14-month-old Iggy has been spending time in public spaces like grocery stores to practice his commands.
“I love my job,” said Ashley Juchs, a K9s For Warriors trainer who traveled with Iggy from his home near Jacksonville, Fla. “Working with dogs every day is really nice because they become your best friends. Our goal is to pair them with veterans with PTSD and we know that from the get-go. We’re training this dog to help save a life, so it’s very rewarding.”
As for how Iggy is handling his duties so far, Juchs said he has been an eager participant.
“He’s very food motivated and energetic, so he’s fast at learning,” she said. “But you also have to try and harness his energy, too, because he is still a puppy.”
Iggy is expected to begin official classes in January and be paired with a U.S. veteran sometime next year.
