Who's a good graduate? You are!

July 5, 2017 6:29 PM

As the school year is almost up, seniors are finally receiving their yearbooks. And when the 18-year-old Diana Bloom from Stafford High School in Falmouth, Virginia, has received hers, she noticed that among all the students, there was another graduate – Alpha the dog!

Alpha was just one among many service dogs who have appeared in their humans' yearbooks.
posted by Johnny Wallflower (14 comments total)

I thought I had seen cuteness overload before, but smiling service dogs being recognized in school yearbooks absolutely takes the cake. This has to be the sweetest thing I've seen this year.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:33 PM on July 5, 2017 [1 favorite]

Doggo: i do a service
i am photo
i do famous

wow
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:55 PM on July 5, 2017 [20 favorites]

"Penny Lane" has to be the best name.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:55 PM on July 5, 2017 [2 favorites]

The fact that Alpha has to kind of raise his eyebrows just to be seen, waaay down at the bottom of the photo, is what really does it for me.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:05 PM on July 5, 2017 [18 favorites]

ma name alpha
an i do know
ev'ry time
blood suga low

im in yerbook
an honored place
cuz when u sik
i lik yer face
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:51 AM on July 6, 2017 [28 favorites]

I'm weirdly kind of retroactively jealous of schools that have therapy dogs. If my high school had had a therapy dog maybe I would have gone to school more often. Probably not cause I was mostly at home hanging with cats.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 2:23 AM on July 6, 2017 [3 favorites]

My kids' high school had a Golden Retriever who had the job of being a therapy dog for anyone who needed it. He was considered part of the staff so he was always in the yearbook. When he retired, sadly, there was no replacement.
posted by tommasz at 5:52 AM on July 6, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm not sure if I want the dog as a member of staff or with surname in the student photos. Both are enchanting.
posted by eyeofthetiger at 6:06 AM on July 6, 2017 [4 favorites]

I love the expression on Alpha's face.
posted by rmd1023 at 6:06 AM on July 6, 2017 [5 favorites]

Johnny Wallflower, you have outdone yourself! I love this post!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:41 AM on July 6, 2017 [2 favorites]

When he retired, sadly, there was no replacement.

No one ever can really replace a Golden Retriever, but someone might succeed it.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:52 AM on July 6, 2017 [3 favorites]

Surprised to see so many service dogs in head collars. I realize I don't know that many service dogs IRL...is that common? Why would they be used on (presumably extremely well trained) dogs?
posted by R a c h e l at 2:05 PM on July 6, 2017

Ok, I guess "so many" was 2. I thought I saw more. sorry.
posted by R a c h e l at 2:08 PM on July 6, 2017

Raising the bar, Johnny Wallflower. This is A++ work.
posted by MrBobinski at 6:47 PM on July 7, 2017