Teacher’s dogs in classroom?

I suppose it might be nice for a special treat for children who want to do this?

But it should not be inflicted on everybody.

I've come across dogs in classrooms, sometimes belonging to teachers, but they have been trained to be there (some schools use 'reading dogs' for example) my son's art teacher had 2 Burmese, but that was an independent school and they were always around.
Have a conversation with the head and see if the classes can be swapped. If that's met with a no, then ask for the risk assessment etc on these particular dogs (with 3 classes there are going to be children who are allergic to dog hair, are frightened of dogs, any manner of other problems)

Our primary school has a school dog. She belongs to the head and stays in her office. The dog is brought out at break times for kids to pet and then of course if they are in the heads office for any reason they will be around the dog.

I do think a class environment is a bit much.

Absolute 100% no

Should not be allowed, for a myriad of reasons

This is why the UK is fucked. Instead of thinking how nice or even live and let live, it’ll be a bit of fun-people’s first thoughts are phobias and allergies.

We live in a world with dogs OP so your son needs to experience them some time.

Ask whether incidents caused by the dogs are covered by the school's liability insurance. You may find the problem disappears.

I have the nicest, softest dog you could ask for but no way would I want him around 30 4 year olds.
We have friends of my four year old try to ride him and wrestle him in the past.

A dachshund comes into the office where I with and it’s very barky and aggressive with customers. I can’t imagine a dog in a classroom with 30 kids is not going to get stressed at noise levels either.

Also as other have said, if she establishes these dogs as ‘school dogs’ what happens when a child joins that has an allergy? That child is either restricted from available classes due to that teachers lifestyle choice or she will have to stop bringing them in which will immediately single out the child as the one that caused the dogs to be removed (tbf that could be a positive by that point)

Yup its this. The whole trend for dogs in schools has absolutely come from teachers who got a dog in covid and now it cant be left at home all day on its own so they want to bring it into school.

Allergies, fears, and children who simply dont want to be around dogs (and shouldnt have to be!) aside, where are these animals toileting? Eating? Who's walking them?

Whos paying for extra cleaning because a dog is walking its dirty feet around and shedding hair all over the place? Not to mention id be really surprised if a full risk assessment has been done and the dog chosen specifically for a therapeutically appropriate behaviour profile etc.

Then theres the massive distraction to kids who have quite enough distractions to manage as it is.

Its completely unprofessional and inappropriate and im amazed more parents dont kick off.

Our dds would have loved it, and so would the 3 Gdcs now.

I would not like this at all. My kids are around dogs, as my sister has them, but don’t like them at all (sorry!). As your child is starting reception does the school have multiple forms? If yes, I’d ask if your child can be in one of the other classes.

A trained, therapy dog once a week fine, a teacher's untrained potentially snappy little dogs not fine.

What next will this teacher think is a good idea I'd be asking myself.

My old headteacher (after I left that workplace) wanted to bring his brand new puppy into school every day because it couldn’t be left alone. Dogs in classrooms need to be trained, certified and insured. I would be questioning this (and I love dogs!)

Nope.

Complain now and tell the head to, I don't know, read up on health and safety for starters. They are being absolutely stupid to have young kids around dogs at school. Just makes me wonder on their intelligence and commonsense tbh.

My daughters school have a golden retriever who comes in as a therapy dogs and the children take turns walking him etc, they all adore him! He isn’t there all the time though, I think it’s only once a week.
I personally wouldn’t have a problem with a well trained dog around my daughter as she knows to be respectful of animals, not pull them around etc. The one that hasn’t been around children before would concern me though! Will one of the dogs be there all the time or is it just every now and then?

Absolutely not ok.

For starters sausage dogs are usually snarly, snappy, unpredictable little things but even if the most placid dog going they should not be at work particularly in a classroom.

What kind of stupid teacher does this and what kind of stupid headteacher allows it?!

Complain op and ask that the teacher leaves the dogs at home or with doggy day care as everyone else does.

You may want to query with the school if they have insurance to cover dog bites or any accidents arising from the dogs being on school property. That should sort it.

You know there are things called poo bags? And that wildlife also shits on the playgrounds your kids play on?

My kids primary school has a “wellbeing dog” but she’s properly trained and doesn’t spend all day in a classroom with 30 4 year old. She belongs to the deputy head who is also the safeguarding and wellbeing lead, she stays in the teachers office and if children need to see her, they go to a particular room to decompress.

having 2 dogs in a class of 30 kids is absolutely not ok and shouldn’t be allowed - for the safety of the dogs, let alone the children.

if children are constantly touching the dogs and they don’t have a crate as their safe space, who is then to blame when the dogs respond by biting?

how can the teacher do her job properly in teaching 30 kids and supervising 2 dogs?
where to the dogs have their food and water, or even go to the toilet? Does she just pop out of lessons to take them for a walk?

this is utterly bizarre!

OP, are you sure that the dogs will be there every day, as opposed to an occasional visit?

Even if every day, I think you're allowing your anxieties to take over and are only seeing the negatives. I think classroom dogs could be very therapeutic for many children. It could also teach them empathy and how to be around animals, if they don't have any of their own. And talk about a great way to get children looking forward to school!

But if you're uncomfortable, the simple solution is for your son to swap classes with another child who would like the dogs and whose parent isn't opposed. I bet there are lots of kids who would be dying to swap. Suggest that to the school as a solution instead of ruining the dog experience for the whole class. (Because they might be obliged to stop it if one parent objects.)

And I expect the teacher has trained the dogs very well if they're suitable to bring in.

Lucky kids. Sausage dogs are adorable! And very small. I mean, we're hardly talking the Hound of the Baskervilles here, are we! 😂

You are being that parent, you have no idea if they'll be running around the classroom or staying in a basket/crate, you've done vague daschund research, have a 30ye old anecdote about a dog wanting a stick.

You should talk to parents in the year above, you should wait and see and only complain if there is any of your imagined issues rather than with all the cobbled theory. You should ask questions about them "running around the room," rather than assume.

My DS in Yr3 had the teacher's dog in class. It was a well-trained collie. I was pleased as we didn't have pets at the time so it was a good chance for positive dog interactions.

One child was nervous, but when it was her turn to be a helper to walk the dog around the school field and play fetch, she accepted the offer, had fun and lost her fear. (I volunteered with the class for various activities and worked in the school at lunchtimes, so saw it for myself.)

Yes I had a class hamster, two rabbits, the occasional dog - all sorts in the late eighties and nineties. I have a PAT dog myself and whilst she spends entire days with me in adult education classes and my adult students want her there when I’m teaching, she would not enjoy a day in day out experience with 30 young children who are very unpredictable. Has the teacher thought this through from the dog pov? Surely they should organise daycare or a nanny or a house sitter/dog walker for them?

Hell no. Completely inappropriate. Some frog spawn at a push as a biology lesson, but that’s the height of it. It’s a distraction, what about barking, toilet habits, wanting to play, restless, not to mention the barking, potential allergies, hygiene, or if dog gets wound up and irritable.