Transylvania University offering unique class for dogs and their owners

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Students at Transylvania University are being offered a unique class this May term.

The learners just happen to be man’s best friend, dogs!

“I’m teaching a class called ‘Fido on the Couch’, and in this class, we are working with dogs on training simple behaviors and working on problem behaviors,” said Ellen Furlong, Asistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Furlong teaches this May term class for the dogs and students alike.

These K-9 college students are learning basic skills.

Some students bring their pets from home, but for those who don’t have a furry friend, Lexington Pit Crew, a local pit bull rescue, provides a solution.

“We are mostly working with foster dogs. All of our dogs who are here today except for Nellie and Winston, whose owners are in the class today, are up for adoption,” said Furlong.

While much of the class is spent having fun with the dogs, these pups are making contributions to research as they roll around.

“The students are working on developing a foster manual for the Lexington Pit Crew that will include a lot of the things that they’ve learned here so they can share it with the people who are doing the foster work day to day,” said Furlong.

The students are teaching the dogs, and the dogs are teaching them how to show others that all dogs deserve a second chance.