Amber gets first taste of campus life at Lincoln College

The miniature labradoodle has been meeting as many people as possible as she gets used to life on campus.  

There are several members of staff who are trained to handle Amber and she has been getting to know them better, alongside head of student services and supported education, Charlotte McHugh, who Amber lives with.  

“Amber will continue to spend time with her handlers and build up bonds with them so that she knows she can trust them and she is safe,” said Charlotte.   

“She’ll also be visiting more staff areas and starting to be more involved in greeting students as well.” 

As a faculty dog it is hoped Amber’s presence on campus will benefit students and staff, from being a calming presence to helping people who are anxious or stressed, particularly during exam time.  

She has been trained under the Autism Dogs CIC Faculty Dog Programme and to become a faculty dog, Amber underwent in-depth positive reinforcement training and was rigorously assessed against criteria to show she has a good temperament and is competent and safe to work in the College environment.  

Amber is still completing her training and by meeting as many new people as possible it is hoped she will develop and really make a difference on campus and Charlotte has some advice for people greeting Amber for the first time.  

“Amber loves attention, she particularly likes being stroked around the ears rather than being patted on the top of her head. She likes nice strokes on her body but doesn’t like being picked up.    

“You’re safe to stroke Amber, but please remember to use hand sanitiser after you have touched her.  All of Amber’s handlers carry a dog friendly hand sanitiser (which also smells very nice) and we do encourage you to use this prior to stroking her.”  

Charlotte McHugh is pictured with Amber meeting Learner Voice Engagement Apprentice, Freya Melladay, during a recent walk around Lincoln College campus.

See the range of courses on offer at Lincoln College and details on student support here.