Student Residences Looking for Puppies to play with

[SwinRes]

Hi All,

 

I'm the Residential Life Coordinator for a university student accommodation provider in Melbourne.

 

Many of our students come from homes and families with Dogs which they all miss dearly. I think this attributes to the students feeling homesick and struggle with their new life transition.

 

I am looking to provide experiences for students to interact with Dogs and Puppies which will help with their homesickness, reduce stress and improve their emotional wellbeing.

 

I also know that some breeders and dog training programs are looking for ways for their dogs to socialise with all sorts of people.

 

If you know of any programs which offer this sort of service or are willing to bring your dog or puppy onto campus, please let me know.

 

Many thanks in advance,

 

Jonathan

[Papillon Kisses]

This is a lovely thought.

 

Perhaps you could contact shelters/pounds near you.

 

Sydney Cats & Dogs Home have done this sort of thing with businesses. Puppies get extra socialisation and adult dogs have relief from the shelter.

 

Several shelters/pounds also provide opportunities for businesses or Duke of Ed students to volunteer for a day or week. (Many large corporations these days have paid volunteer days.)

 

So while I don't know anyone in particular who does this in Melbourne, this may be an avenue you could investigate.

 

I've also heard of therapy dogs paying visits to university campuses in the US but I don't know if that's done here. You could ask the Delta Institute.

[Scrappi&Monty]

That's a fantastic idea!

Similarly you could get the students to become foster carers for the local rescue, and foster pups/kittens or if that's too much work while studying, they could foster an older dog/cat. 

I think I'd pick that uni just so I could have dogs around!! Haha. 

[Two Best Dogs!]

I believe the lost dogs home does things like this. I did something similar at my workplace except it was my own puppy so easily organised without extra hoops. 

 

Alternatively you could you organise a kind of weekly field trip to the rspca to exercise/train dogs. I think it'd be neat if you could organise a group training session where your students get to handle and learn how to train dogs and the dogs get to practice basic obedience. You'd need to coordinate with someone at the rspca. I was a field trip bus driver for my old uni, would Melbourne uni have something similar?

 

You could search local dog schools schools and contact the trainers to see if they'd want to advertise a puppy socialising opportunity? Get students to wear beanies or walk with crutches etc to really help the puppies generalise. Puppy's come to them or they go to the classes. 

 

I like the idea of foster opportunities if your dorms are ok with it. Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs. Fosters needed for all and can help students give something to care for and destress

 

[Starkehre]

Hi Jonathan. I'd like some more information please. I may be able to help out with some dogs  Please PM me