Attitudes Toward In-Training Assistance Dogs in University Classrooms

Assistance dogs provide many important benefits and improve the quality of life of the humans they serve. Puppy raisers provide the initial training of dogs that may become assistance dogs-training of basic commands such as sit, socializing and desensitizing the dog by exposing the dog to different people, novel environments and novel situations. When university students act as puppy raisers, they often bring their dog with them to class. Having an in-training assistance dog in the classroom might be disruptive to some students such as those who are allergic to dogs, anxious around dogs, or who object to dogs for religious reasons. Bringing an in-training assistance dog to class might also be disruptive to the puppy raiser if they need to direct their attention away from class to the dog to manage the dog's behavior. The in-training assistance dog itself may experience stress from being in a novel environment with novel people. This study surveyed instructors, students, and puppy raisers in classes visited by in-training assistance dogs. In general, students reported having positive attitudes about having in-training assistance dogs in class; puppy raisers reported few problems and that their dogs experience few, if any, signs of stress. The results suggest that university students can continue to provide the initial training for dogs without negative consequences to the puppy raiser, instructor, or other students in the classes visited by the in-training assistance dogs.