However, just next door to the student library, relief can be found in canine-form.

In a new partnership between the university's wellness centre and Dogs for Life, Bendigo students are helping socialise future assistance dogs.

Stephanie George has been raising some of the puppies and said socialisation is key to their success as assistance dogs.

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"It's great for the puppies to be able to socialise with people so they know how to be polite, and not go silly when they meet people," she said.

"If they're just with their family, or with a couple of people at a time, they sometimes get quite overwhelmed when they are near a crowd.

"So having more people come in here to like a controlled environment allows us to see what we need to work on."

Ms George said some puppies missed out on vital socialisation time during COVID, and the initiative was an effort to expose them to a number of people at a time.

"One of the puppies, he used to be quite nervous with people, he was quite standoffish," she said.

"But he's gotten a lot better since coming to the program with me each week and meeting lots of people."

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However, the benefits aren't just limited to the dogs, students are also reaping the rewards of spending time with four legged friends.

Hillary Aitken was studying for her final physio exam when she wandered into the clinic on Thursday.

"It's great to see dogs like this," she said, "because I live in a sharehouse and can't have dogs, and my dogs are back home at my parents place."

Once the dogs complete their training and adequate socialisation, they will be placed with veterans with diagnosed PTSD.

However, the program can only go as far as the number of foster homes available for the dogs.

Dogs for Life are calling for puppy raisers to get in touch.

If people are accepted, the dog will live in their home as a pet, but can come everywhere with you, including to campus!

All of the costs associated with the puppy, including food, equipment, vet care, will be covered by Dogs for Life.

Support and training will be provided, people do not need to be experienced dog trainers to get involved.

Those interested can contact: dogsoncampus@latrobe.edu.au

Pop by the DogLab every Thursday between 11 and 2 at LSU basement room 009, or search 'La Trobe Dog Lab' on Google Maps.

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