The Duke Puppy Kindergarten class of 2021 features five lively pups: Dunn, Ethel, Gilda, and Gloria. They will pose for a class photo that will be streamed live on Facebook at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 15.
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These puppies are involved in a long-term study at the Duke Canine Cognition Center, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, focusing on the cognitive development of future service dogs.
While the puppy kindergarten has resumed this fall, it's important to note that the center is currently not open to visitors. Updates can be found on its website.
Each of the five puppies will participate in a dorm program, which was piloted in the spring of 2020. In this program, teams of three student volunteers will care for the puppies two nights a week. These dorm volunteers receive training to teach the pups essential behaviors, such as sitting and waiting before meals.
The program has garnered considerable support, with more than 50 general volunteers, 16 dorm volunteers, and 15 alternate volunteers signed up to assist in raising the puppies from 8 to 20 weeks of age. Upon graduating from Duke Puppy Kindergarten, the puppies will be sent to foster homes for further training before eventually becoming service dogs with the non-profit organization Canine Companions.