Teacher’s dogs in classroom?

UK village primary school here - Head has a medium sized dog she brings in every day. I think it sometimes visits classrooms etc but mostly kept in her office all day. I was surprised in this day and age it was acceptable tbh as it just takes one incident where the dog could react badly and cause injury to a child.

Some people are saying dogs help with reading - how? I get it might make some children calmer but there are lots of options for calming children that don't involve dogs. (Also a dog would not have made child me calm at all - would have been distracted with fear and sneezing).

I work in primary schools, my job moves me around, and there are many schools with a ‘school dog’. There’s also a high school I know with a dog.

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. They all have dander. My brother had a so called hypoallergenic dog. Those with a dog allergy were delighted to visit him & finally be around a dog which didn't cause their symptoms. The minute the dog licked then they broke out in hives due to the components of the saliva. This plus all dogs produce dander which is another cause of the allergy.

0/10.

Right, so the teacher has a dog but noone to look after it in the day / doesnt want to pay daycare fees so she brings her dog into school with her? Absolutely crazy. I definitely would have said something at the time and since you haven't Id raise it with the head now. Its just unacceptable for so many reasons. Theres no way a daschund would be a therapy dog. They are known to be aggressive and snappy. Its not fair on the dog either having to tolerate 20 over excited 4 year olds wanting to stroke it. Its a recipe for disaster. They're also notoriously difficult to train, my friends still piss and shit in the house despite huge ongoing efforts to train them. Honestly I cant believe the cheek of the woman. If you cant afford daycare and you work full time you shouldn't have a dog.

60 years ago our headmaster brought his little dog Scottie into school. It would be positive if your son was confident around dogs, there are literally millions in the country, no avoiding them completely.

Id be really unhappy about this. My son was really scared of dogs aged 4 so it would have made him even more reluctant to go to school. Not sure why he was so scared - he's much better now.

Id probably be ok with a well thought out visit from a well trained dog (although my son aged 4 probably might have freaked out but perhaps it would have helped him get over fear) but there's no way a dog should be in the classroom everyday. Doesn't seem great for a dog either.

Our school has rabbits - but they are outside and the children only occasionally get to interact with them.

I think you're right to seek more information & clarification.
Theres a difference between the teacher bringing her dogs to work so she doesn't have to pay a dog walker & the dogs being used as therapy dogs/learning support. I believe this would require training on both parts (dog & teacher)
They can be great for anxious/ADHD kids & those that struggle with reading. It shouldn't be assumed that all kids benefit though.

If it's the case that they are just in the classroom with her for her benefit then that would just be a distraction for her & the kids. A therapy/learning dog would come in occasionally eg for a couple of hours or an afternoon.

You do sound quite anxious & afraid of dogs which is likely to be passed on to your DC so they may benefit from being socialized around well behaved dogs from a young age.

Definitely ask questions though!

Exactly. I know one reacted to a so called ‘hypoallergenic’ dog before so it’s not true

I love dogs, my children have grown up with them and very comfortable around dogs, but I still wouldn’t be happy with that at all. That’s not a situation to benefit the children, that’s for the teacher’s benefit. Children might be allergic, I have friends with children absolutely terrified of dogs, they will be distracting. I can’t believe the school allow it.

My local primary has a school dog (HT dog). There’s an extensive risk assessment in the website but still if the dog falls asleep they tie the lead to a table in the classroom . For children with allergies they just say ‘it’s a hypoallergenic dog’ and they’ll just not let the child near. It’s the reason I chose a different school.

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, and if anyone was telling me this I would know they were not fit to risk assess.

It’s a terrible idea even though I love dogs myself. My son with ADHD would have been endlessly distracted by the dog and found every excuse to comment on its every move.

And if you don’t want to start your son’s school career as “that parent”, you can write the letter anonymously. It would have the same weight and should be considered just as seriously.

My kids were both bitten by their great grandmother’s sausage dogs. I’d not be enchanted by this. The English obsession with dogs is bloody odd. I had dogs for 40 years but they do stink and I’m glad we don’t have them any more. To be honest I think seeing them cocking their legs in shopping centres was the final straw. No more dogs for me.

I would imagine the dog is on a lead and a temperment to be around children.
Why not let it happen then see if it is a problem.
Installing your fears in a childs unfair or what ifs.

Yes animals are good therapy and if not the dog would be removed.
Parents now days !

When my son was at primary school (10 years ago) most of the teachers had small dogs they bought into school. It was calming for the nd pupils apparently

Yes, as a school governor myself, I’d recommend writing to the Head and Chair of Governors.

Also, you could have a dog that’s generally very docile and calm, but in a class of 30 4-year olds, there’s a good chance that at least one or two of if the children will be emotionally disturbed and try to abuse the poor dog given the opportunity… and however good the dog generally is, if badly provoked, it will likely lash out, and that might not be contained to the child causing it.

I would also like to point out that just because dogs appear to be the norm in schools, doesn’t mean it’s right. To me, this is an unchecked phenomenon that is not questioned enough. The legal framework is very limited and largely unenforced. Cafe owners, for example, find it difficult to enforce ‘guide dogs only’.

Like I said, a signed and dated letter from you, expressing your discomfort and stating the reasons I have suggested, cannot be ignored.

Common sense at last 👏

Well, that would be a discussion with the school, I guess. They consult different professionals and make a decision based on their professional opinion and risk.

I'm sure if someone had an allergy, they wouldn't allow the dog but unless someone says there is an allergy, they don't worry about it due to the perceived benefits etc.

I work in a private nursery, and take my dog in one day a week (the quietest day). He’s hypoallergenic, and there is a risk assessment both for the children, and for him. Is there a risk assessment in place for these two dogs, especially as they aren’t hypoallergenic?

The children get a lot out of my dog being there, but he is not there as doggy day care, so if ever a child was genuinely distressed by his presence, DH would come and pick him up. We have two more dogs at home (who definitely wouldn’t be suitable for the job!)

Yawn

No unless it’s a trained therapy dog it shouldn’t be there and definitely not every day. It sounds like she needs dog care rather than benefitting the children. My child is allergic to dogs that are high moulting so this could cause issues too.