Graduation day: Foster dogs find forever homes through Carroll University's dog training program🐾

 

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) — It was a special day for a group of students and four-legged friends from Carroll University on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Carroll University's animal behavior department's dog training class has wrapped up for the semester, and these pups have a bright future.

The program's "graduation day" was held at HAWS Tuesday after a semester of training for six foster dogs and their handlers.

That means the dogs are now going to their forever homes.

"We have five dogs that are getting adopted today, and one dog that's foster-to-adopt," said Dr. Lee Kesting, assistant professor of Animal Behavior at Carroll University.

This is the sixth year Carroll's dog training program has helped HAWS rescue dogs find their families.

"People love adopting dogs from the program because that training is so important for the relationship with the dog, as well as the dog's success," Kesting said. "We find that dogs that are trained tend to stay in homes much longer, so we are promoting less returns."

In some cases, that family was there all along.

"I'm just so excited and happy, I've had to stop myself from crying multiple times already today," said senior Nicholette Sikes.

She trained Jade, who had been a shelter resident for more than a year. Now, she's adopting her.

"Watching her progress with her training journey, she's done phenomenal. She's come so far," Sikes said. "She supports me as much as I support her, and it's like we're best friends."

Dr. Lee Kesting is adopting Aspen, who also completed the program.

"We ended up fostering her for a little bit this semester, and my other dog fell in love with her, my wife fell in love with her," Kesting explained.

Through teaching dogs, the program also teaches students.

"I've watched them develop critical thinking skills, think about someone besides themselves, time management," Kesting said. "All the important things you want a student to have when they graduate, they're really getting that impact."

The program will continue next semester with new students and new dogs who are ready to train and find their forever homes.