Dog Program

Dogs are awesome—but why Dog Class?

What do dogs have to do with a college preparatory education for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Freshman and sophomores take Dog Class once a week, focusing on understanding dog behavior, learning concepts that support good dog training and developing skills needed to be good dog owners.

The program examines dogs’ social behavior as a metaphor for much of human life. By working with dogs in this focused way on campus, students learn to improve their non-verbal communication with people, an essential life skill for students with ASD.