The school is getting a school dog

[Worriedaboutthedoggy]

The school had sent out a newsletter today that they are getting a school dog. The letter has all the positives mentioned - they are getting it from a reputable breeder and good bloodlines, it is a hypoallergenic breed (labradoodle), it will be staying in a family environment when off duty (presumably with a member of staff), it will teach the children about the importance of caring for someone - but I still am feeling a bit weird about it, can't put my finger on why exactly.

I am not sure about the impact on the dog - won't it be stressed by the usual playground ruckus? What if it turns out to be wrong temperament?

I am also ashamed to admit that one aspect that concerns me is financial. The average lifetime cost of keeping a dog in the UK (according to google) is around £18K, and I can't help feeling that there are better ways to spend these money (the school is currently fundraising for quite basic things).

Please do tell me I am BU and a total killjoy, and please do tell me your positive stories.

We were never dog people but ended rescuing one.

I cannot begin to tell you what a fantastic impact she has had for us as a family.

I could go on and on about what a great dog she is but mostly the children adore her. My middle dc is a worrier and will often go to sit with her when she fees stressed. I can imagine this would be a positive for SEN children.

My school has one. It is the SENCOs dog. She brings it in on the days she works. It is timetabled for various interventions. It doesn’t wander around.

For example a bereaved child walks the dog with her Mum once a week. It has been very helpful for both of them.

I think it is very very unlikely to be the schools dog. It will be a member of staffs dog. It will not cost the school a penny.

And it is very trendy now. Lots and lots of schools now have them.

I was terrified of all dogs as a child. I had a bad experience as a tiny tot. I bloody love mutts now but I’d be wetting myself in fear as a 5 year old if a dog was in my school!

Friend had a labradoodle and he is a LUNATIC - and this after lots of expensive Training. I am a dog person and I have NEVER seen such a truly mad dog

I have a dog. I was brought up with dogs. I would not want my child around a dog I don’t know, whose training my be inadequate, who may not be wormed or flea and tick treated regularly, whose body language may be misinterpreted (a CBeebies programme set in a school once had a staff member’s dog in it and she merrily told the children it’s slow tail wagging meant it was happy, nope its a sign of insecurity), the dog may be stressed or wound up or mistreated, even unintentionally, by children. Not fair on the dog or the children. I would also be concerned over insurance.

I would be really really really unhappy about this and I am a big dog lover.

Unhappy on so many levels.

My DS is asthmatic and I'm trying to get him allergy tested, what about the dog allergic children?
There will surely be some in the school?

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog.
NO SUCH THING
The school would know this if they had done some bloody research...

Of the breeds less likely to trigger allergic reactions, a crossbreed with one highly allergenic high shed parent isn't one of them!
There are so many lower allergen breeds, there is just no need to go for a crossbreed.

Such a dog would need a stable, calm, balanced temperament, surely the current number one 'must have' dog 'breed' currently extensively puppy farmed is not the correct way to go about guaranteeing such a temperament!

And, anecdotally, the vast majority of poodle mixes I have met I have been at best hyperactive and at worst, utterly vicious little bastards.

So are many labradors I've met for that matter.
Never in a million years would I buy a Labrador as a family pet.
They are not the calm, placid dogs people think they are. Not without plenty of work anyway.
They are big, bouncy, mouthy...

The vast majority of dog bites are to children.

The vast majority of people have a poor to downright shocking understanding of dog body language and when you are in the charge of the safety of 30+ children to not have an in depth knowledge of body language isn't acceptable.

TBH, it just strikes me as one of the teachers fancied a cute wee little, no, if we are talking labradoodle, flipping huge doggy, and wanted to take it to work with them.

I'd be absolutely bloody furious.

A breeder? Why don't they get a bloody rescue?

"When you see a child in a total meltdown calming down at the side of the dog"

What about the total meltdown CAUSED by the sight of a dog in a child with phobias?

I would have hated this as a child. I still step gingerly around dogs when I pass on the pavement.

When we were viewing nurseries for our PFB many moons ago, we discounted one specifically because the headmistress brought her enormous dog to work and you had to step over it to get into her office.

Loads of children are very nervous around dogs. I hate the assumption that we are all dog lovers.

@reallyrandomwords hopefully the dog will not be allowed to just wander freely around the school. Would not be good for pupils or dog.

A breeder? Why don't they get a bloody rescue?

Having a dog which you know nothing about how is has previously been treated or reacted to children is a fantastic idea.

Our school has a dog, been there a couple of years now and lives with the head. He's a support dog and it works well at our school the kids love him. He is very well trained and always with the head.

reallyrandom the dog isn't wandering round on it's own accord, you know. Nobody would think that to be a good idea. Didn't think I had to spell that out but there you go...🤔🙄

I doubt that any reputable shelter would rehome a rescue dog into this set up.

When you see a child in a total meltdown calming down at the side of the dog

🤦🏻‍♀️

You know I have a super gentle, child tolerant dog.

She snuggled up with all my kids as babies, loved to lie down with them in her bed, they could give her commands and she'd obey.

You know what she does when one of them (I have three) starts arguing or temper tantruming or crying?

She runs upstairs to bed, settles down to sleep and refuses to come back down until they are quiet.

It takes a very special sort of dog and dedicated training to lie quietly unfazed and unbothered in the midst of a meltdown.

It's not a natural born trait for most dogs!

@SpruceTree

Well, we'll just have them all put down then.

@BillHadersNewWife

Because the odds of there being behavioural issues with a rescue are pretty high. They're not always recommended for homes with young children,

In my experience as someone who suffers, there is no such thing as a dog that doesn't cause allergies. Also, some people just don't like dogs and I agree that the environment is possibly not the best for a dog.

If my dc's school said they were going to do this I would be the killjoy complaining.

Loads of children are very nervous around dogs. I hate the assumption that we are all dog lovers.

And the way to deal with that is to gently introduce them to one. If they see the other children reacting well it will help calm their fears.

It's not ideal to grow up with a fear of dogs

My school (in the 70s) must have been SO ahead of it's time.
Both the HT and one other member of staff used to bring their dogs into school.

I presume if someone were so allergic to dog hair, that would be on their medical records and the wouldn't be able to take part in therapy or caring for the dog. No reason why that opportunity should be denied to all the other dc though.

I'd have been terrified if this happened whilst I was at school.

I was attacked by a big dog at a young age and despite the efforts of my family I grew up being very scared of dogs (crossing the street etc if one was coming near)

I got over it when I grew up as they felt smaller by comparison

I've had dogs since and now love them but I'd really feel for any kids that have a fear of dogs like I did. It was awful

Ps I'm not against the idea of a school dog I just hope they have provisions for any kids that have a fear or struggle to be around dogs for any reason.

So more than anything it’s cultural for you?

Dog ownership is very bad for the environment. We are in a climate emergency - no one should be buying dogs except for service dogs. Dogs are a nice luxury but one we should do without for the sake of the planet.

Humans are far worse.

Numpty.

If someone is allergic to dogs, they don't need to be in their presence to experience symptoms, just be in a space the dog has been in. It's unlikely to be life threatening but could cause a lot of discomfort. If someone had severe hayfever, you wouldn't fill a school with flowers year round.