Each year, Carroll’s Anthrozoology program holds a special graduation ceremony for their program dogs and handlers. Student handlers, who have been working and living with the dogs during the school year and serve as foster caregivers for the shelter dogs while they train them in one of several disciplines such as service, narcotics detection or search and rescue, present short videos and share stories of working with their dog partners before handing them off to their newly adopted families.
As with everything else this spring, COVID-19 cancelled those plans.
But that didn’t stop Nacho’s co-fosterers Caroline Herzog and Weslee Nehl from being creative and holding a virtual ceremony in Nacho’s honor.
Nacho is one of 14 dogs in the Anthrozoology program this year. Carroll Insider staff asked Caroline and Weslee to share a little about what this year with Nacho has taught them.
Caroline Herzog, from Spokane, WA, is a junior Anthrozoology pre-vet major with minors in biology, Spanish, and a student of the Honors Scholars Program.
Weslee Nehl, from Helena, MT, is a junior Anthrozoology major with a minor in biology and also plays on the women’s golf team.
Nacho has been their first experience fostering an Anthrozoology dog. Their interview is below.
Caroline Herzog and Nacho
Nacho and the Herzog Family
Weslee Nehl and Nacho
Nacho
Tell us a little about Nacho.
Caroline: Nacho is a cuddly, 9-year-old chihuahua mix who loves to play, snuggle, bury himself in blanket forts, train, walk, ride in the car, and spend time with humans. He is an extremely sweet dog with a zest for life. He now knows a variety of skills including basic obedience training, scent work, psychiatric service tasks, and urban search and rescue tasks. He is a two-time Canine Good Citizen recipient and passed his yellow bandana test with both Wes and me, allowing him to access school buildings such as the library and the Cube. He is eager to learn and has proven to us all that you can, indeed, teach an old dog new tricks
Weslee: Nacho came to us from the Missoula animal shelter in September. He was pretty unhealthy and overweight so his transition into our life was a bit more difficult than we thought it would be. Since he wasn't feeling too good at the beginning, it took some time for him to get into training and to be comfortable around us. But with time, love, and some exercise, his health improved and we found out what a spry old dog he is! He is 9 years old and while he is pretty mellow, he is very active, loves to play and train, and he loves meeting new people. He also loves dog agility! After a long day of training or agility, he loves to snuggle up on the couch and take a nice, long nap while Caroline and I hit the books and do homework. Nacho absolutely does not fit the "evil chihuahua" stereotype! :)
How was your experience with the ANZ program and training Nacho this past year?
Caroline: My experience with the ANZ program and Nacho this year has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever partaken in. Training and learning to love and let go of Nacho has been incredibly difficult, but also incredibly rewarding. Nacho taught me how to slow down and enjoy down time and simple activities like walks. He has also taught me patience and to never judge a dog by their breed. He has loved learning and we developed a very strong bond through training and spending the year together. He is a wonderful companion and I am excited for more people to get to experience the joy that Nacho can bring into a person's life. He has changed my life forever, and I know he will continue to touch the hearts and lives of so many. We have amazing professors in the Anthrozoology department who are truly one of a kind mentors and educators. I feel lucky to have such an amazing Anthrozoology family.
Weslee: The experience was challenging but very rewarding. There were nights that you just wanted to sit and cry but then there were other days where you wanted to cry with joy. It’s incredible to be able to change a shelter dog’s life for the better and give them a loving home, with lots of love sprinkled throughout the process. Along with being responsible for the dog, we learned many useful and advanced training techniques that we can use in our future careers. We also learned several traits that will help us through life as well, like compassion, patience, compromise, and sacrifice. It was really nice co-raising because you can bounce ideas and problems off each other, the workload for both of you is greatly decreased, and you can experience and celebrate the small victories together throughout training.
Can you share a little about the family which is adopting Nacho?
Caroline: Nacho's future forever family lives in Helena. They are a family with a daughter who goes to Carroll. Their application was the first we received, and when we interviewed them, we knew they were the perfect fit for Nacho. They are active and love to walk, but also love a dog who enjoys cuddling and car rides. We are excited that we found the perfect family for Nacho to love.
Weslee: Their lifestyle was perfect for Nacho and when they met him, they fell in love with him, just like everyone else does when they meet the little guy. Nacho returned that love and he seems really happy with his new family.
Parting thoughts?
Caroline and Weslee: We both believe that you can definitely teach an old dog new tricks. Also, we want to encourage people to adopt, don’t shop. Look into dogs at your local shelters who are in desperate need of loving homes. If you're local to Helena, the Anthrozoology department has incredible dogs up for adoption every Spring.
Nacho's Zoom Graduation Ceremony