Therapy Dogs in Schools

As some of you know, I wear several different hats and one of them is that of a foster carer.  This morning I was reflecting over my morning cuppa about the fact that I live in a mad house! The puppy and the oap dog were play fighting and one of the cats was meowing loudly for me to remove the stair gate so he could get in.

I have found that children tend to like the fact that we have these mad pets and they enjoy playing with, cuddling and chatting to them.  This got me thinking about therapy dogs in schools and why they are so successful.

Australia and America have used therapy dogs for a while now, they are a fairly new concept to us in the UK.  A therapy dog is a dog from an easy-going breed that comes to school with the children. They often belong to a teacher or head teacher.  Research has shown that bringing these dogs into school has a positive effect on attendance and reducing anxiety in students. The dogs also double up as unofficial counsellors and children have been found to find it easier to talk to the dog rather than teachers. I find dog walking quite a calming therapeutic experience so I can see how children benefit from time with our furry friends. There are also lots of children that otherwise would not be exposed to pets or may be nervous of dogs. In a controlled situation, these fears are alleviated and the children can experience and enjoy the benefits the dog brings.

Obviously, these dogs need to be fully trained and be able to cope with the classroom situation with lots of children and unexpected noise around them. There are now organisations that specialise in training therapy dogs and their handlers. Like humans, the dog will need a quiet space to retreat to for decompression and to reduce the risk of over stimulation.