Children are not the only early learners at Lampeter Elementary School.

George, a three-month-old puppy, is a service-dog-in-training that is spending plenty of time at the elementary school.

George is being trained by Lampeter Elementary principal Christi Henry. Naturally, he is spending a lot of his time at the school, even during the summer. Henry's office is splattered with enrichment dog toys, a puppy gate and crate.

Henry volunteers with Susquehanna Service Dogs (SSD), training future service dogs, facility dogs, and hearing and other assistance dogs. Lampeter-Strasburg (L-S) School District has six dogs in its PAWS (Puppies Achieve Wonders for Students) program, all of which come from Susquehanna Service Dogs.

"It means the world to me and my husband," Henry said. "It means the world to us that we can give back after having benefited so much from the L-S PAWS program. ... I think we'll keep doing it."

George will be with Henry until he is about 2 years old. Along with going to SSD classes every week, George has to meet developmental milestones like potty training and crate training, just like any other puppy. Specifically for his service dog skills, he also must work on staying calm and keeping all four paws on the floor.

"We're starting to work on things like walking with the leash loose, not pulling," Henry said. "Then sometime over the next two years, they'll start to determine what job is best for him to do, what he'll be best at, and then that's when we say goodbye."

The last puppy Henry and her husband trained is now a one-to-one support service dog for an individual who has autism.

Henry utilizes operant conditioning to train her puppies, a learning method that uses rewards and punishments to reinforce certain behaviors. Henry carries around a clicker that she uses to let George know when he is doing what he is supposed to be doing. The clicker also helps George refocus on Henry when his mind drifts.

"I love building these foundational skills," Henry said. "It's a perfect match for me, because that's what I do here for Lampeter-Strasburg. That's what I'm volunteering to do with Susquehanna Service Dogs, building the foundations for a life of learning."

Henry said that George will greatly benefit from being at the school and interacting with L-S's trained service dogs. SSD Gabby, a 10-year-old labrador, is Lampeter Elementary's primary facility dog. She is not too keen on George yet, being taken aback by the puppy's high energy level and enthusiasm. George has not received the message.

Gabby is one of six dogs in the program, along with SSD Biscotti, SSD Eagle, SSD Higgins, SSD Monarch and SSD Maya; Maya was the district's first service dog in 2016 and is now in the process of retiring. Each dog has different traits and guidelines depending on which building they primarily work in.

Unlike L-S's facility dogs, George is not a purebred labrador. He is seven-eighth labrador and one-eighths golden retriever, which only serves to make him more adorable.

Based in Grantville, SSD trains service dogs and helps place them with the proper child or adult for their skill set. Per its website, the organization's mission is to "create opportunities for growth and meaningful life choices so all people can be valued, contributing members of their community."