Good dog! Labrador graduates with honours from Spanish university

Students studying Social Work at the University of Cádiz in southern Spain wanted to pay homage to a familiar face they had seen padding up and down the halls during their degree.

So, Idena, a guide dog for one of the course’s blind students, was included in the class’ graduation photographs, appearing alongside his owner and in various other photographs in the end of university memento.

Cadiz es diferente para todo. Incluyen en la orla final de carrera de la Universidad al perro de un alumno invidente pic.twitter.com/nB75rHNGoH

— Juan C. Ramos Picchi (@JCRPicchi) October 1, 2015

In one photograph, the black labrador is seen sporting a mortarboard, the square academic cap usually worn by graduating students. 

Spaniards have welcomed the idea, with many taking to Twitter to comment on the photograph. 

“I bet this dog attended more lectures than most students!” wrote Jose Díaz-Reixa. 

“Magnificent. Ten out of ten for the University of Cádiz,” said Pepe Valdivia. 

Pues en mi facultad se graduó un perro pic.twitter.com/4utuhJ067y

— ROTNS (@H_de_Nistha) September 14, 2015

And Idena is not the first dog to make an appearance in a graduation photograph in Spain. History graduates from the University of Santiago de Compostela (2007-2012) also posed alongside a canine friend in their graduation photograph.