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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School dog should be trained?

95 replies

Hortonhearsadoctorwho · 10/11/2021 19:49

Happy to be told iabu!
Basically school dog lunges, pulls and barks. Have noticed the dog trying to get at other dogs and having to be dragged away from them.
Ianbu - a school dog should be trained.
Iabu - it’s fine.

Also had passing thoughts about allergies and fears amongst the kids at school 🤔 is a school dog a good thing or not in your opinion?

OP posts:
Suzi888 · 10/11/2021 19:51

A school dog? Confused You can’t be in the U.K?
YANBU either! Of course the dog needs training!

rrhuth · 10/11/2021 19:53

This thing for school dogs is stupid. Dogs do not belong in bloody schools!

00100001 · 10/11/2021 19:57

A school dog, in theory is fine.

A badly trained dog in a school, not fine. I'd complain.

wetotter · 10/11/2021 19:57

School dogs are brilliant!

But yes of course they should be trained, and I'd expect them to meet the PAT dog standards (Pets As Therapy)

The dog should only be going into areas of the school which have been assessed as safe and appropriate, and that would include separation from children with known allergies.

Children should only interact with the dog if they are happy to do so, and a friendly (well trained and properly supervised) school dog is actually not a bad way to help someone through fears (eg if all their friends are reading to the dog, they might join in)

lobsteroll · 10/11/2021 19:59

How old is the dog?

Our school got a "school dog" at the beginning of term in September and I haven't seen it once since that day 🤣 it was a puppy though so they said it needed lots of training away from school and then they would introduce him gradually.

I do wonder what the point is to be honest, I think the parents were more excited to see it on Day One than the children, they really weren't that fussed, far more excited to see their friends after a long school holiday.

Slobberstops · 10/11/2021 20:01

Good ones are amazing. Such a benefit for our pupils who need extra nurture.

usernamenumber636274 · 10/11/2021 20:01

School dogs are great imo. I wish it was a thing when I was at school.

There is no worry with children who are allergic or afraid of dogs. The dog won't be roaming the whole school. It will be in a specific area. Children who are afraid of dogs won't need to be anywhere near the dog.

I do agree it should be trained.. saying that I have a dog she hates other dogs, pulls on the lead and barks at the postman and is just a bit of a monkey. But I think she would be a good school dog because she loves people and attention and is a big softie with kids!

TotheletterofthelawTHELETTER · 10/11/2021 20:02

DD’s primary had a school dog, he was awesome and trained as a therapy dog. Similar to pp above they brought him in as a puppy to show and then he came back months later all trained up. He lived with a teacher who worked in the sen unit.

Original poster
Hortonhearsadoctorwho · 10/11/2021 20:03

Yes UK! I was surprised as well.
Not sure on age but looks like an almost full grown or full grown lab.
Tends to be on a very short lead whenever I’ve seen it or dragging the head teacher out of school.

OP posts:
ImUninsultable · 10/11/2021 20:04

Did they research breeds and pick one which is great around kids?
Did they check see the puppy with the mum? And check what the parents were like?

Or is this just a teacher's dog and they dont want to leave them at home?

If they did it all properly then that's good. But they do need to train it. A dog around children needs to be trained.

Colouringaddict · 10/11/2021 20:06

I am 52 and although it wasn’t a “school dog” as such, our head in primary school always had her dog with her. The whole school loved her and she was very tolerant

Marvellousmadness · 10/11/2021 20:06

Allergies and fears;nah
The dog having ti be trained: yeah

Nearlytheretrees · 10/11/2021 20:06

Our school in England has a 'wellbeing' dog, she is very well trained and only goes in the area where children who are overwhelmed in normal lessons go

Original poster
Hortonhearsadoctorwho · 10/11/2021 20:06

Honestly no idea.
Al I know is the dog lunges and barks etc
Im pretty sure it’s just the teachers dog, other staff have commented that he brings his dog to school. It also just has a normal harness, not a therapy dog harness/coat. But again I really have no idea other than that.

OP posts:
Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 10/11/2021 20:07

Love a school dog. We had a hospital dog at one point. But she was an ex guide dog and would have sat quietly while world war 3 was going on.

Theunamedcat · 10/11/2021 20:08

We have a "school dog" it belongs to senior leadership member its well trained and calm a dog like yours would not be allowed

And yes we are UK

"School dogs" appear to be a new thing at the moment many local schools have them in, in several cases they are lockdown puppies that are trashing a teachers home and are brought to school for the "mental health and wellbeing of the students" Hmm

HolidayTime2021 · 10/11/2021 20:10

@Suzi888

A school dog? Confused You can’t be in the U.K? YANBU either! Of course the dog needs training!
Hundreds if not thousands of school dogs in the UK
TSSDNCOP · 10/11/2021 20:12

We have a school dog. He's impeccably trained and if there is a kid with allergies or a dislike he gets to sleep under my desk and I take him out and throw his ball for him. Makes my bloody day!

knittingaddict · 10/11/2021 20:15

Of course it should be trained. Personally I think all dogs should be trained, but it goes without saying for a school dog. Didn't know it was a thing to have school dogs though.

Original poster
Hortonhearsadoctorwho · 10/11/2021 20:19

Asking ds to see if I can get any info on the dog. He said he asked the teacher what happens if someone is allergic or scared.
Teacher said what would kids do if they saw a dog on the street? They’d have to avoid her.
Which I though was quite odd. I would hope the teacher meant the dog avoids the kids who have allergies?

OP posts:
LivingNextDoorToNorma · 10/11/2021 20:19

@Suzi888

A school dog? Confused You can’t be in the U.K? YANBU either! Of course the dog needs training!
Nearly all the primary schools in our town have school dogs now. I’d never heard of it until recently either!

YANBU though @Hortonhearsadoctorwho . I think school dogs are a brilliant idea, but they should absolutely be properly trained.

Suzi888 · 10/11/2021 20:26

I have not heard of the school dog phenomenon. I love dogs, I have a dog but I’m astounded!

WonderfulYou · 10/11/2021 20:29

We currently have a school dog (SEND school), it’s a massive lab but is actually still a puppy. She’s training to be a guide dog but is still a puppy so is very pulley and wants to play with everything and everyone.

boomboomshakalakalakaboom · 10/11/2021 20:34

@Suzi888

A school dog? Confused You can’t be in the U.K? YANBU either! Of course the dog needs training!
I'm in the UK and our school has a dog
WonderfulYou · 10/11/2021 20:34

There is a school in Germany that has a German Shepard walking around off leash. If he senses the child is sad or angry he will go over and lie next to them and if the child responds then he’ll stay there until the child feels better but if they don’t respond to him it means they’re very distressed so he goes and gets his owner to make them aware.

I don’t know if this is just one school or it’s a common practice in Germany (I’d love to know if anyone lives in Germany). I don’t think the UK schools have got it quite right yet and aren’t using the dogs efficiently.