ASU students form club to train service dogs

TEMPE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - A group of students at Arizona State University are not just tackling their classes, they've also taken on a full-time job of raising puppies, and training them to become service dogs.

You could call it the most adorable club on ASU's campus, Spark's Service Dogs, pairs students with puppies so they can be trained to become service dogs. ASU student Taylor Randle is one of the club's founders.

"It just started with just us five and our roommates, and now it's grown to over 300 members, it's amazing," said Taylor Randle.

Her dog Kristoff is trained to open doors with his nose and to alert people with type 1 diabetes when their glucose spikes or drops. Club members work with the group "Power Paws" to raise and train the pups, most of them are Labrador and golden retrievers. For two years before they are ready to be service dogs, they go everywhere with their trainers into classrooms, library, the dorms, 24/7.

"I can't imagine doing anything else, I wonder what I used to do with all my free time, I must have been so bored," said Katie Durheim.

While they're on campus, the dogs are quite popular.

"I'm known as the guy with Gonzo on campus, I don't have a name, but Gonzo is the celebrity on campus," said Patrick McCarthy.

McCarthy was paired with Gonzo and says the experience has been much more than he was expecting.

"I took Gonzo and switched to biological sciences, and now I'm looking into vet school, so Gonzo really changed my outlook on my future," said McCarthy.