School has puppy, not a great idea

[Rainbowtrees]

www.thecomet.net/news/longmeadow-primary-school-in-stevenage-employs-therapy-labrador-murphy-1-5556930

A local school has a puppy. It’s a lovely idea yet puppies are far from calming! They are crazy, cute little bundles of fun - they can go from adorable to little devils in seconds especially when over stimulated.

AIBU to think a puppy in a school is not a good idea? A dog over 1 who is known to be calm, has been tested with children and can cope with a busy environment yes a young puppy no way!

think it's a fantastic idea for SN children - like everything, it has to be carefully managed for animal and children welfare, but why not? There is good evidence that dogs (pets in general) can help children with anxiety and a range of other issues.

Why do people assume that children will be horrible to the puppy? Surely contact will be supervised and the kids will learn to show it respect, I’m guessing it will have its own safe place and will go home with head teacher?

My daughter used a therapy dog through school, it didn’t stay at school, someone would bring it in to work with dd, she loved it, she has ASD and struggles to comunicate with people. Her communication improved dramatically whilst using the therapy dog.

I don’t mean to point out the obvious but you do all realise that all therapy dogs started out as puppies, right?

Yeah, of course. But not necessarily thrown in at the deep end at a very young age, surrounded by a bunch of children with poor impulse control.

Therapy dogs need LOTS of training. I can't imagine any very young puppies being able to stay calm around a large group of small children. It's far too stressful.

Presumably he'll spend most tim in the heads office and will be bought out for training, which will be done properly with select non allergic kids whose parents have signed agreement.

He's not being chucked into an assembly of 150 small kids for them to play pull the tail of the puppy

Our school has two dogs. They are owned by a staff member who pays for everything for them. They came as puppies and are training up as therapy dogs. They helped y6 pupils the last two years during SATS, as well as supporting many pupils and have been used as inspiration for a writing group.

No one's said no to a therapy dog.

Just no to this dog

We have no idea where it cones from. How it plans to be paid for. What happens if it doenst make the cut? Get rid? Tell the kids what exactly? That animals are disposable?

A therapy dog is potentially a great idea. A puppy is just bonkers.
Just wait for the 'school therapy puppy bit my child' thread, coming soon....

Just to be clear, I have no issues with dogs in schools at all. But they need to be well-trained in coping with excitable children.

Why do people assume that children will be horrible to the puppy?

Who said they'd be horrible? But children and puppies both have poor impulse control and need to be supervised 100% of the time. One bouncy, excitable puppy surrounded by lots of children who want to play with it, fuss it and stroke it can easily go disastrously wrong.

if the sessions with the puppy and children are managed effectively then it's possible for both to learn "on the job."

The article does not state the precise credentials or experience of the humans or how long the dog will be there every day etc. so no one can make a sound judgement as to how great it not great this idea is.

I have a PAT dog and therapy horses ( and other creatures that are in a theraputic setting. Starting them young with the expected behaviour.... such as puppy always to keep feet on floor when with people... reinforced is very effective. Showing children the puppy training sessions involving hopefully using positive reinforcement might help them learn that they too can learn to calm themselves and concentrate.

As long as puppy gets it's play and rest sessions too then I can see the positives.

A school cannot give a pup the stable home life it needs. I'd call the RSPCA.

It will have a stable home with the head. The RSPCA would laugh at you.

But not necessarily thrown in at the deep end at a very young age, surrounded by a bunch of children with poor impulse control

It won't be. The whole point is to train it. Therefore obviously they'll introduce it very gradually, it won't be shoved in the middle of a group of out-of-control children.

One of our senior teachers used to bring her dog with her. He lived in her office. If any kids were sick, they got to sit next to him in his basket, in an arm chair, in front of the electric fire . Unfortunately, I never got that sick .

In the summer, he used to sleep outside the biology building and put up with being patted and having his ears rubbed. He was a lovely dog and everyone treated him well.

One of the schools under the MAT I work for has a puppy. She is adorable and so so placid. Her interaction with the children is controlled, they’ve set aside a separate room for her with access to her own outside area. The school has a lot of SEN children and they’ve found she works wonders as a therapy dog for them

This sounds amazing , a properly trained therapy dog. It takes a lot of work and I imagine is very expensive.

One of our senior teachers used to bring her dog with her

Yep, same with one of ours. It was a great little dog, but old and incredible calm and good natured. It spend most of it's day asleep in it's bed under her desk!

But an older dog with a predictable nature is very different to a young pup. All puppies bite and mouth - it's normal and how they play and learn. I would just worry it would bite a child while in training.

And training itself doesn't guarantee a successful therapy dog. Not all puppies pass their training!

Who said they'd be horrible? But children and puppies both have poor impulse control and need to be supervised 100% of the time. One bouncy, excitable puppy surrounded by lots of children who want to play with it, fuss it and stroke it can easily go disastrously wrong.

And who said that is how they would introduce the dog or deal with it generally?

Our school has two dogs that belong to the Deputy Head. They are wonderful with the kids, especially if a child is nervous about coming into school, they greet the child and escort them in. They're also good for the kids coming in without much english, to helps them communicate.

TBH, the kids largely ignore the dogs, it's the parents who fawn over them!

And who said that is how they would introduce the dog or deal with it generally?

Well, to be fair, the article didn't say anything about how they planned to get it used to being around children.

It could be a great successful and the puppy could end up begin wonderful therapy dog. But there was a thread here last week where a puppy bit a child in play and lots of responses said if that was their child, they'd want the dog rehomed/PTS.

You can't guarantee that a puppy will not bite/mouth. How will they cope if it nips a child?

I would imagine that the dog will live with the headmistress, go to dog school full time (like guide dogs and other therapy dogs can do) and occasionally do class visits in a controlled way. Once it is a fully qualified therapy dog, they will be able to use him/her accordingly for more intensive sessions. Can’t understand how this would be a problem? I’m sure they have taken the appropriate advice and are working with a charity who will ensure the dog and pupils get what they need.

JustVent while we're stating the obvious, you did realise that the photo of the dog that the headmistress was holding in the picture was a young puppy, not a fully trained dog? It might have gone through initial assessments but it won't be a fully trained assistance dog for well over a year, more like two..

Added to what I wrote before, on the flip side, if the headmistress had bought this dog herself and decided to put it through the training and was carefully introducing it to the school I'd be more impressed. But the fact that she's getting herself and the pup in the papers broadcasting it doesn't fill me with confidence. It all seems a bit gimmicky.

I don't know, the jury's out. As I said before, I think dogs as therapy in general is great, just not sure this is being done the right way or for the right reasons.

Once it is a fully qualified therapy dog, they will be able to use him/her accordingly for more intensive sessions. Can’t understand how this would be a problem?

Erm because not all dogs qualify. What happens to the dog of or when it doesn't?

How do we know this puppy came from a reputable healthy source? And doenst have some joint problems that will cause it pain amd make it unsuitable or comes from.agressive parents?

Why does everyone assume the pup will 'bite' a child? Puppies nip, yes, that's what pups do but it is very, very unlikely that a puppy will bite a child aggressively.

Therapy dogs are taught as pups to be tolerant and used to children through positive reinforcement - so probably in small groups to start with, where the children will be allowed to respectfully stroke the pup, and pup will learn not to jump up etc.

Dogs and children can have an amazing bond.

If the puppy is to be trained to be a therapy dog then I doubt they will be letting it loose with large groups of children as some posters seem to imagine. Therapy would usually be in very small groups or with individual children in a very controlled situation. The dog is going to live with the head so I imagine she will ensure the welfare of the puppy is considered and it's role will be built up gradually, not full time for the dog. Training will take time, but best to train him is in a school surely?

Dogs don't have to be aggressive to bite.

If they are sick or hurt etc they will bite.

If this dog isn't from.a.decent source or isn't health checked properly which incidently costs money schools claim not to have with teachers buying their classes glue sticks while heads buy puppies

One of our local primary schools has a therapy dog. It’s still quite young (under 2 I think) but is already very well trained. I see the kids out walking in small groups with the dog sometimes (and obviously a member of staff), they’re all very well behaved including the dog. Seems to give the kids a responsible attitude.

I think it’s a great idea if properly done.

How do we know this puppy came from a reputable healthy source? And doenst have some joint problems that will cause it pain amd make it unsuitable or comes from.agressive parents?

Why would we assume that it doesn't? What makes you believe that a headteacher and Senco would take leave of their respective senses and not check those things out?