Teen's Service Dog Gets His Photo in the Yearbook: 'He Brightens Everyone's Day'
He's been going to school with the teen for nearly two years.
A dog may just be voted most popular pup at a Virginia high school after his photo appeared in the school yearbook.
Alpha, the 3-year-old dog, is 16-year-old Andrew "A.J." Schalk’s service dog that has been attending school with him at Stafford High School for the past year and a half.
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Schalk suffers from Type 1 diabetes and Alpha alerts his owner if his blood sugar is dangerously high or low.
“It’s been absolutely fantastic," Schalk told InsideEdition.com. "He’s turned into such a positive thing for me to have being diabetic and to take around the school."
And everyone else loves him too.
“[He] brightens everybody’s day. All the teachers I have look forward to seeing him, just seeing this adorable little puppy walk around,” Schalk said.
Schalk said Alpha gives him a paw to notify him if he is in danger and has saved his life on multiple occasions.
“Being diabetic and having a disability, you wouldn’t think that’d be something positive, but taking him to school every day and having everyone react so positively to him has had a positive effect on my life," Schalk said. "It’s changed it into something for me where I am excited to take him to school."
Students were happily surprised when they noticed the pup in the yearbook.
“Well I had just gotten my yearbook and was flipping through when I noticed a dog, I realized it was AJ's service dog and I thought it was so cute,” Diana Bloom, a student at the school, told InsideEdition.com. “He has a very important job and works just as hard as any other student so he deserved it.”
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Alpha wasn’t the happiest about having his photo taken in front of the giant yearbook camera, Schalk said, but his picture was priceless. Alpha also received a school ID card.
“On picture day, I went and took my picture. I moved out of the way. They lowered the camera a little bit and took his picture,” Schalk said. “He did fantastic. He’s a great dog.”
Watch: Boy, 8, Once Embarrassed Of Rare Skin Disease Meets Dog With Same Condition
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