GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — As ArtPrize winds down, a nonprofit based in West Michigan was using the competition to help train service dogs.

Paws with a Cause had six dogs with their handlers training in downtown Grand Rapids on Friday.

The training exercise is designed to help them become comfortable around crowds and navigate scenarios.

“We like to bring dogs that are in client training into this kind of environment because our clients are real people and they do things like this,” said Crystal Snyder, assistance dog training manager.

“I’m able to better generalize, improve behaviors with real life distractions instead of in the semi sterile environment of the training center. It also offers me a lot of things to navigate like different surfaces to walk on, different kinds of stairs

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