One of the purposes of GFS’ Junior Projects is to expose students to possible career paths through month-long internships each January. Some high schools offer similar opportunities during senior year, but we make space for this in junior year—a pivotal moment when students are on the cusp of exploring colleges and considering life after graduation. Hands-on learning in the field and meeting mentors can help students think critically about what kinds of jobs they may (or may not) want to pursue.

Reina Yagawara '26 shared some moments from her Junior Project, which she spent at PennVet Working Dog Center (PVWDC), a research and development center for detection dogs used in search and rescue missions, which is part of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Her reflections include the realization that there are a number of ways to work with animals in addition to becoming a vet. Read her story to learn more! 

I chose this project because I love animals and hope to work with them as a career. Before the project, I thought about becoming a veterinarian, but after, I’m considering some careers in the animal behavior field. PVWDC mainly trains search and rescue dogs and police dogs. During my January Project, I  got to spend time with Ana, a German Shepherd who will soon graduate from the Dog Center to become a full-fledged police K-9. 

One of my main jobs at the PennVet Working Dog Center was to prepare the treats for the dogs—which included cutting cheese. Because all treats were thrown out at the end of the week, Monday mornings consisted of cutting cheese, filling lipsticks (blended kibble and peanut butter in a stick container that can twist up, similar to a pupsicle), and making kibble bags. I did these activities with friends so it was a lively hour filled with chatter.

During training, I often videotaped the session so the trainers and other staff could watch it later for further examination. Videotaping permitted me to follow the dog more closely, which I loved. Although it was a little repetitive, I enjoyed it regardless because the training was so interesting.

In this photo, the dog, Flojo, is getting rewarded with his toy and playing. The rewards for the dogs are either treats (kibbles, cheese, Charlie Bears, jerky) or their toy—the toys got them very excited. This type of reward makes the association that completing training = fun.

Hiding was my absolute favorite thing to do at PVWDC. Because these dogs are trained to become search and rescue or police dogs, they need to be able to find people. Live Find was a type of training that allowed the dogs to practice finding people. Live Find could be outside in the rubble yard (shown in this picture), outside in the free run (which is with barrels), or inside in the training rooms set up with obstacles and hiding places. Before the dog entered the hiding site, I hid somewhere under the rubble. Once everything was all set, the dog was released and given the command, “Go find.” Once the dog found me, it would bark a set amount of times before I told them “Yes!” and reward them with their toy.