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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

helpthewhos · 13/11/2021 15:36

My kids' infant school had a dog, trained as a therapy dog, it was only given access to one part of the school and it was incredibly calm - if an over enthusiastic toddler stroked him he tolerated it a couple of minutes and then trotted off back to his bed.

bluegreygreen · 13/11/2021 17:19

Allergies and fears is usually considered tough luck - stay away from dog. Your child could be in a space with a service dog at any time in their life so it's something they need to be able to work around

Husband has asthma and finds breathing difficult around dogs - had to leave a shop we were in yesterday a few minutes after a dog came in. Easier to leave a situation as an adult than as a child

SkankingMopoke · 13/11/2021 19:46

@00100001

A school dog, in theory is fine.

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

Exactly this. DDs' school has a PAT dog visit regularly, and all the kids love him. Even my very dog-phobic DD1 has been won round by him. He is incredibly floofy and chilled, and apparently has the rare gift of enjoying listening to Biff/Chip books

However, the dog at your DC's school OP sounds bloody awful, and would only serve to deepen my DD1's fear.

RainbowTomte · 13/11/2021 22:14

This is why we homeschool. Ridiculous having a dog at school. Recipe for disaster.

steppemum · 13/11/2021 22:41

dds school has a school dog. It is well trained and calm.
It stays in one place in the school, where kids can come and spend time with him if upset.

They can take turns to walk him round the school field on a lead at lunch time.

biscuitbadger · 13/11/2021 23:02

My kids' primary has a therapy dog who comes in some days. She is extremely well behaved and calm, and the kids love her. She's been great for my ds who is scared of dogs.

I definitely don't think an excitable, badly trained, or in any way unpredictable dog should be in a school.

user1471462428 · 14/11/2021 07:02

@bowchicawowwow what happened to the dog after it it nipped your child?

forinborin · 14/11/2021 07:33

@lobsteroll

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.

We are probably at the same school. The (very expensive designer breed) puppy just became a family pet of someone from school management.

Boombastic22 · 14/11/2021 07:59

No it’s a terrible idea and waste of resources. How it is possible! I’d make a formal complaint to the governors and then local authority given what you’ve stated. It’s a risk to kids.

Grumpyosaurus · 14/11/2021 08:02

a waste of resources
While the school dog the OP is talking about sounds as if it should kept well away from children, the reading dog at the school where I work is entirely funded by the owner - doesn't cost the school a penny.

HelloDulling · 14/11/2021 08:07

Our school dog is absolutely bomb-proof. She is a steady as can be retriever, and has done wonders for wellbeing in students, esp after lockdowns. Is never wandering the school, or in classrooms. She had had a lot of training, and lives with the Head’s PA, who is an experienced dog owner.

SpinachIsAGatewayDrug · 14/11/2021 08:28

It's a very special dog that enjoys being in a school environment. Most would fucking hate it.

This one sounds like the latter. Doesn't make it a bad dog (in fact to just makes it normal) but it shouldn't be there, if 'only' for its own welfare.

Mollymalone123 · 14/11/2021 08:31

My granddaughter’s school has a Shetland Pony which has been trained to go into school and she’s a delight! I stress though-trained-

tabulahrasa · 14/11/2021 08:39

@RainbowTomte

This is why we homeschool. Ridiculous having a dog at school. Recipe for disaster.

Homeschooling just in case there was a school dog seems a bit extreme tbh.

IsMaeOnTheAsmae · 14/11/2021 10:17

My granddaughter’s school has a Shetland Pony

My childrens school have a school dog, he belongs to one of the receptionist. Theyd be so jealous if they knew another school got a pony

OverByYer · 14/11/2021 10:26

I’m on the fence as I do have a dog myself, however when I was primary school age I was severely allergic to certain breeds such as labs, retrievers, GSD, etc
Wouldn’t have even needed direct contact just their fur on the carpet would have set me off.
Also if it is a proper school dog and not just a teacher bringing their pet in it should be trained for that purpose or be a very well behaved dog

Mollymalone123 · 14/11/2021 12:40

@IsMaeOnTheAsmae
She is gorgeous
She came in recently and the my DGD’s class got to groom her and put bows in her plaits.She is so calm but the owner has spent a lot of time and effort training her and she was chosen because of what she didn’t mind doing-she lives the attention and the children are respectful-it’s a great lesson for them.Very calming as they know they must be gentle and quiet around animals.

OP
My son went to the donkey sanctuary along with his class years ago as they were taught to ride and how to calm down.They all had multi disabilities- a trained therapy dog is a huge benefit but not some random person’s dog that’s good with kids’ for instance.
Seems to be a fad so some staff can bring their dog to work.If the dogs not trained as a therapy dog then what happens if it snaps? Is the teacher insured etc? I would ask the board of governors the relevant questions.
I love dogs now but up until 10 years ago I was terrified of them

Thelnebriati · 14/11/2021 13:09

I bet you a squillion pounds the untrained lively 'school dog' is there because the owner doesn't want their house trashed and won't pay for daycare.

Ylvamoon · 14/11/2021 13:15

I love the idea of a School dog.
In practice, it has to be a very special dog to cope with being in a school.
And of course it needs that special training too!

bowchicawowwow · 15/11/2021 17:41

[quote user1471462428]@bowchicawowwow what happened to the dog after it it nipped your child?

Op, my child has been to two different primary schools one where it was run for the teacher benefit and the children were neglected and the second where the children are the priority. It’s sounds like your sons school need to get a grip and remember they are there for the benefit of the children not themselves.[/quote]
It happened towards the end of the school year and the teacher that owned the therapy dog left anyhow. The dog didn't come back to the classroom afterwards. I didn't want to submit a formal complaint as I felt the school dealt with the incident effectively by removing him.

I've heard that there is now another Pets as Therapy dog that comes in with its handler for visits, rather than one that is permanently present. The original arrangement where my child was bitten seemed to be something a bit less formal!

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