Carroll University holds HAWS dogs graduation day

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Carroll University is celebrating graduation day a few weeks early.

Students studying animal behavior have been fostering and training dogs for the past four months.

Today, those dogs are graduating.

At the Humane Animal Welfare Society in Waukesha County, adoption and graduation are one in the same.

"It's going to be an emotional day," said m.

These dogs earning their golden tickets home after four months of hard work.

It's all a part of Carroll University's animal behavior and adoption program.

The program partners dogs with students -- who are looking for a career in animal behavior.

It's their job to train and guide the foster dogs into basic mannerism.

And while both the students and the dogs are learning -- it's the love that's undeniable.

Kylie Burtion, a senior at Carroll -- has been training one-year-old General for the past few months.

But today, she must say goodbye.

"It's been so wonderful having him in my house," she said. "But I know he's going to such a wonderful family and he loves kids, so it's definitely worth it for him."

The black lab stayed with Kevin Barry and his family -- while the university found the right student to train him.

And in that time, they grew to love him.

"It felt like we just had this feeling, like we can't wait to meet him again," said Barry.

So, instead of waiting four years for their kids to finish school, the Barry's only had to wait four months.

"He looks very much more experienced, he's graduated college, he knows how to navigate the world." said Barry.