Headteachers personal dog in playground whats your opinion

[Grk]

Just wondering what's your thoughts
Our headteacher will sometimes bring her dog to work with her some days and takes it from classroom to classroom and the lunch hall, she also brings it on the playground at morning drop off and afternoon pick up . This dog is a rescue personal pet, it is not a professional emotional/ support/ assistant dog (I know this as im within the school)
This really bothers me both as a parent and a colleague for many reasons
Health and safety, allergies, children are also scared of dogs, dog looks anxious and scared, hygiene issues - the children also play on the playground at playtime and lunch often sitting on the ground , and the main one being parents of the school are not allowed to bring their dogs onto the playground and this has been communicated numerous times it's not really setting an example.

Am I thinking too much into this or would this bother you also ?

That’s such a sad attitude to have towards dogs :( no doubt it’s an attitude that will be passed onto your children, so if anything this sort of thing is great - teaches children that dogs can be wonderful animals worthy of respect and not all to be feared, even if their parents think otherwise!

@Tabbsi , a genuine question, why do children have to like dogs ? It seems to be coming up a lot on this thread .

My children had far too many unpleasant encounters with "friendly" dogs early in childhood. Owners of "friendly" dogs taught my autistic child that dogs are an unpredictable threat. Being autistic, he does not want to change and like dogs. Now as a teenager, he's now benefiting from size advantage and his strong dislike of dogs has little impact on his life now he isn't being bowled over, having picnics raided or having his sticks snatched from his hands.

Normal range spider phobia is far more disruptive to life, yet I doubt most people would appreciate me putting a house spider on them and laughingly saying that it won't hurt them and they need to get over it.

It's not the right and obligation of soppy dog owners to convert others into loving their animals.

Properly trained and managed therapy dogs have their place, and children need the physical and emotional space to learn to cope with them and work through their emotions. A staff member bringing in their rescue dog is not that situation.

DS1 certainly wasn't the only child in his class to struggle with the presence of dogs. Schools should be safe places, not Room 101 style aversion therapy for the primary benefit of the owner's pet care issues.

For me it smacks of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ and ‘rules are for them because they need it, I’m more intelligent so above all that’.
But the fact it’s within a teaching setting doesn’t surprise me, a lot of them assume they’re levitating amongst us mere mortals.

@BogRollBOGOF , I agree with every word of your post . My two dc are autistic as well.

You sound highly strung and should chill out.

I very much doubt there has been a risk assessment. We can't get them done for pupils with physical disability. I reckon the opinion is Its the headteachers school so the head teacher can do as he/she likes. A depute in our school also did this . She had no dog care. We all have to sort out care for our.children and pets. We do have a ittle therapy dog which visits some of the pupils but the deputes certainly wasn't. Do as I say not as I do.

Years ago this happened in my sons primary school. One child joined who had an allergy and that stopped it - you could tell the headteacher was actually really pissed off about it. A school isn't an extension of a headteachers home, I do think it's inappropriate and not risk assessed. If someone was bitten I'd think a headteacher would lose their job. Governors should do their job and advise the head not to bring the dog.

I think it’s fantastic. Several teachers at my dc’s school (secondary) bring dogs who sit quietly in the classroom and are taken for walks around the campus at lunchtime. The pupils love it. My dc always tells me what the dogs have been up to when he comes home.

I wouldn't like this. I doubt very much that she's doing it for the sake of the children, it's more likely because she can't leave the dog at home on its own.

It's okay to think dogs are unhygienic, they are pretty unhygienic let's face it. I have a cat that I let walk around wherever she likes, but I do totally appreciate that it is not hygienic and some people wouldn't like it. I certainly wouldn't inflict it on other people either.

I don’t agree with having dogs in environments people have no choice to go to.

If a kid is scared of the dog they will be anxious and it will disrupt their learning, however, they would be forced to still go to school. That’s unfair.

The headteacher needs to pay for doggy daycare or a daytime dog walker and keep the dog at home.

Well said!

One of my children attended a school where the Head took his German Shepherd dog to work with him every day. He said she was his greatest asset especially when dealing with pupils who had difficulties in social environments. I doubt there was ever a complaint.

Exactly. I enrolled DD at a new school as we moved house. Nothing had been said about there being a dog on site, nothing on the website, zero. Found out there was a dog being brought in weekly for "reading" sessions (wtf!!). DD is allergic, and just doesn't like dogs anyway. There is no way she would have said anything, though probably her body language would have been obvious. I had a meeting with them, told them I'd be removing my daughter from the school, such were our feelings on the subject. Dog was gone. I told a few of the other mothers as someone noticed that the dog wasn't there any more, and I said yes, that was me - DD is allergic and doesn't like dogs, and they were so glad I spoke up. They each had felt they'd be the only ones to complain, and didn't want to cause trouble. I have no such qualms, and could have homeschooled my child until another place was found, but many don't have that luxury.

I am glad they removed the dog, because it is a nice school otherwise and it would have been a massive shame to move my child. But I was not happy with a dog on site.

My DDs would have loved it. Ditto the Gdcs now.
I feel so sorry for children who are scared of dogs. Especially if it’s because parents have made them scared, by telling them they’re dirty, don’t go near them, they might bite you, etc.
Of course they need to be told never to go up to a dog or to stroke it, without asking the owner first whether it’s OK, though.

Dogs have knocked my kids over, jumped up in their faces, snatched food from their hands. They have witnessed a more serious attack. They are, imo, justified in being scared. NADALT. Sure. But they all have teeth, they can all bite, and cause injury. They are just dogs, not humans with thought processes about what's right and wrong. We keep getting told when a dog bites that maybe it is ill, or in pain, or whatever - I don't care for the reason it bit, just the fact that they do.

They are dirty too. They roll around in fox shit and eat their own poo. A friend of mine shared on Fb that she'd pulled her baby out of one of those bouncer things to wash him as he'd had an explosive nappy incident. Came back to the room to clean the bouncer, and the dog had licked it all off. Vile.

Staff are allowed to bring dogs into the offices at our school and classroom staff leave their dogs with other (non-teaching) members of staff to dog-sit.
Walking of dogs around the school grounds is very common and the girls (all girl school) often carry out dog walking duties for staff.

They don’t have to, but so many people have them that it’s hard to avoid so may as well learn to be okay around them. also people adore dogs, myself included, they’re beloved animals and feel it’s a shame others don’t get to experience this which really only comes from being around them :)

Non-teaching members of staff shouldn't be dog-sitting! My goodness. They are not paid to do that. The main thing is as someone said above, dogs should not be in places people have no choice about being in. Dogs and dog owners should not be put above children's health and safety. Plus the power dynamic of children having to say they aren't comfortable about a dog's presence to a headteacher is horrid.

I love dogs, and have a dog, but they are absolutely revolting! They eat cat shit as a no.1 choice of delicacy and no matter how good you are at regularly worming them, they still carry a risk of passing on parasites, particularly if they're a 'licky licky' type dog. Given how small some primary school children are and how notoriously bad they are at hand washing, I don't think it's appropriate, to have a slobbering beast licking hands and faces.
When mine were at primary one of the parents came in with her guide dog to talk to the children about assistant dogs, the children loved the talk and learned a lot, the dog was of course working and extremely professional (aka well behaved).
So I think a properly trained working dog, can have benefits. A bog standard pooch eating gawd knows with questionable training, absolutely not!
And definitely no guarding / aggressive breeds, even if they are 'as soft as butter'!

Of the 3 primary schools my children have attended 2 of them the head has brought their dog in. I think it's great.

Not acceptable. Go to the governors and the SLT and the MAT (if your school is part of one). No everyone likes dogs it's wildly unfair and unacceptable to have one in school.

Someone suggested this at our school once but were very quickly shut down - which is lucky because I would have raised hell haha

Our headteacher will sometimes bring her dog to work with her some days and takes it from classroom to classroom and the lunch hall, she also brings it on the playground at morning drop off and afternoon pick up .

Sounds like it’s more inside than outside which is not minimal risk to allergy sufferers.
Headteacher might assess the risk and deem her dog safe but don’t most people think their dogs are ok until they are not?

But if parents can’t bring a dog onto school grounds, and I presume the children and the other teachers can’t just bring their dogs to school, why is it ok the headteacher can do it?

Because they’re in charge, see the benefits for children and can manage it appropriately.

They will know which dc have allergies and manage that too. It’s sad there’s so little trust in teaching staff to do what’s right for the dc.