Headteachers personal dog in playground whats your opinion

I had a very debilitating phobia of dogs until I was in my 30s and got a puppy.

I truly wish something like this had happened when I was at school because it would have given me the opportunity to get past my phobia in a non-threatening and supportive environment. I've missed out on so many experiences because I darent go places where there's likely to be dogs.

It's also silly to say that owners aren't capable of risk assessing their dogs. Mine is a cuddly ball of fluff and adores being snuggled into me and stroked by me, but she absolutely does not like strangers touching her so I don't allow her to be petted or approached by strangers, or put her in environments which would be stressful for her. Other dogs would likely be absolutely fine in environments that she isn't.

@TeenLifeMum this will not have been done for the benefit of the children, let me make that very clear.

Teachers try and get away with bringing dogs to work because they can't afford/can't be arsed with pet sitters or dog walkers. It is entirely selfish.

Also if you think correct risk assessments are done for stuff like this then it's very clear you've never worked in a school!

It would be a no from me. And I like and have a dog and my dc are not allergic or afraid of dogs. It’s simply because it’s a shirking of a school rule. Dogs are not allowed on school grounds. I can’t bring my dog into the school yard at home time to collect my dc, and similarly no staff dog should be in the school yard during school hours.

Our school just had to send home an email to ask parents not to be under the influence of alcohol when coming onto school grounds (no idea what incident prompted this, but I’m sad I haven’t heard the story!). I would be pretty dismayed then to hear that the headteacher was drinking wine at her desk or that staff were all having bottles of Prosecco at lunch time. It’s saying one thing is unsafe if you do it, but fine if we do it because we really want to.

@BigSilly There is more than one member of SLT and usually a board of governors. Believe me, a heads decision can be overturned - I know, I've done it!

What's right for "the DC" is not one entity. If one child is terrified or panicky or anxious or allergic, they shouldn't be the ones who have to speak up.
They should have all been given notification of the plans to have a dog in school before it was imposed on them all

She is the SLT, and she is a governnor you doughnut!

Because they’re in charge, see the benefits for children and can manage it appropriately.

They will know which dc have allergies and manage that too. It’s sad there’s so little trust in teaching staff to do what’s right for the dc.

But if parents can’t bring a dog onto school grounds, and I presume the children and the other teachers can’t just bring their dogs to school, why is it ok the headteacher can do it?

Our headteacher will sometimes bring her dog to work with her some days and takes it from classroom to classroom and the lunch hall, she also brings it on the playground at morning drop off and afternoon pick up .

Sounds like it’s more inside than outside which is not minimal risk to allergy sufferers.
Headteacher might assess the risk and deem her dog safe but don’t most people think their dogs are ok until they are not?

Not acceptable. Go to the governors and the SLT and the MAT (if your school is part of one). No everyone likes dogs it's wildly unfair and unacceptable to have one in school.

Someone suggested this at our school once but were very quickly shut down - which is lucky because I would have raised hell haha

Of the 3 primary schools my children have attended 2 of them the head has brought their dog in. I think it's great.

I love dogs, and have a dog, but they are absolutely revolting! They eat cat shit as a no.1 choice of delicacy and no matter how good you are at regularly worming them, they still carry a risk of passing on parasites, particularly if they're a 'licky licky' type dog. Given how small some primary school children are and how notoriously bad they are at hand washing, I don't think it's appropriate, to have a slobbering beast licking hands and faces.
When mine were at primary one of the parents came in with her guide dog to talk to the children about assistant dogs, the children loved the talk and learned a lot, the dog was of course working and extremely professional (aka well behaved).
So I think a properly trained working dog, can have benefits. A bog standard pooch eating gawd knows with questionable training, absolutely not!
And definitely no guarding / aggressive breeds, even if they are 'as soft as butter'!

Non-teaching members of staff shouldn't be dog-sitting! My goodness. They are not paid to do that. The main thing is as someone said above, dogs should not be in places people have no choice about being in. Dogs and dog owners should not be put above children's health and safety. Plus the power dynamic of children having to say they aren't comfortable about a dog's presence to a headteacher is horrid.

They don’t have to, but so many people have them that it’s hard to avoid so may as well learn to be okay around them. also people adore dogs, myself included, they’re beloved animals and feel it’s a shame others don’t get to experience this which really only comes from being around them :)

Staff are allowed to bring dogs into the offices at our school and classroom staff leave their dogs with other (non-teaching) members of staff to dog-sit.
Walking of dogs around the school grounds is very common and the girls (all girl school) often carry out dog walking duties for staff.

Dogs have knocked my kids over, jumped up in their faces, snatched food from their hands. They have witnessed a more serious attack. They are, imo, justified in being scared. NADALT. Sure. But they all have teeth, they can all bite, and cause injury. They are just dogs, not humans with thought processes about what's right and wrong. We keep getting told when a dog bites that maybe it is ill, or in pain, or whatever - I don't care for the reason it bit, just the fact that they do.

They are dirty too. They roll around in fox shit and eat their own poo. A friend of mine shared on Fb that she'd pulled her baby out of one of those bouncer things to wash him as he'd had an explosive nappy incident. Came back to the room to clean the bouncer, and the dog had licked it all off. Vile.

My DDs would have loved it. Ditto the Gdcs now.
I feel so sorry for children who are scared of dogs. Especially if it’s because parents have made them scared, by telling them they’re dirty, don’t go near them, they might bite you, etc.
Of course they need to be told never to go up to a dog or to stroke it, without asking the owner first whether it’s OK, though.

Exactly. I enrolled DD at a new school as we moved house. Nothing had been said about there being a dog on site, nothing on the website, zero. Found out there was a dog being brought in weekly for "reading" sessions (wtf!!). DD is allergic, and just doesn't like dogs anyway. There is no way she would have said anything, though probably her body language would have been obvious. I had a meeting with them, told them I'd be removing my daughter from the school, such were our feelings on the subject. Dog was gone. I told a few of the other mothers as someone noticed that the dog wasn't there any more, and I said yes, that was me - DD is allergic and doesn't like dogs, and they were so glad I spoke up. They each had felt they'd be the only ones to complain, and didn't want to cause trouble. I have no such qualms, and could have homeschooled my child until another place was found, but many don't have that luxury.

I am glad they removed the dog, because it is a nice school otherwise and it would have been a massive shame to move my child. But I was not happy with a dog on site.

One of my children attended a school where the Head took his German Shepherd dog to work with him every day. He said she was his greatest asset especially when dealing with pupils who had difficulties in social environments. I doubt there was ever a complaint.

Well said!

I don’t agree with having dogs in environments people have no choice to go to.

If a kid is scared of the dog they will be anxious and it will disrupt their learning, however, they would be forced to still go to school. That’s unfair.

The headteacher needs to pay for doggy daycare or a daytime dog walker and keep the dog at home.

I wouldn't like this. I doubt very much that she's doing it for the sake of the children, it's more likely because she can't leave the dog at home on its own.

It's okay to think dogs are unhygienic, they are pretty unhygienic let's face it. I have a cat that I let walk around wherever she likes, but I do totally appreciate that it is not hygienic and some people wouldn't like it. I certainly wouldn't inflict it on other people either.

I think it’s fantastic. Several teachers at my dc’s school (secondary) bring dogs who sit quietly in the classroom and are taken for walks around the campus at lunchtime. The pupils love it. My dc always tells me what the dogs have been up to when he comes home.

Years ago this happened in my sons primary school. One child joined who had an allergy and that stopped it - you could tell the headteacher was actually really pissed off about it. A school isn't an extension of a headteachers home, I do think it's inappropriate and not risk assessed. If someone was bitten I'd think a headteacher would lose their job. Governors should do their job and advise the head not to bring the dog.

I very much doubt there has been a risk assessment. We can't get them done for pupils with physical disability. I reckon the opinion is Its the headteachers school so the head teacher can do as he/she likes. A depute in our school also did this . She had no dog care. We all have to sort out care for our.children and pets. We do have a ittle therapy dog which visits some of the pupils but the deputes certainly wasn't. Do as I say not as I do.