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 ?

She is the SLT, and she is a governnor you doughnut!

What's right for "the DC" is not one entity. If one child is terrified or panicky or anxious or allergic, they shouldn't be the ones who have to speak up.
They should have all been given notification of the plans to have a dog in school before it was imposed on them all

@BigSilly There is more than one member of SLT and usually a board of governors. Believe me, a heads decision can be overturned - I know, I've done it!

It would be a no from me. And I like and have a dog and my dc are not allergic or afraid of dogs. It’s simply because it’s a shirking of a school rule. Dogs are not allowed on school grounds. I can’t bring my dog into the school yard at home time to collect my dc, and similarly no staff dog should be in the school yard during school hours.

Our school just had to send home an email to ask parents not to be under the influence of alcohol when coming onto school grounds (no idea what incident prompted this, but I’m sad I haven’t heard the story!). I would be pretty dismayed then to hear that the headteacher was drinking wine at her desk or that staff were all having bottles of Prosecco at lunch time. It’s saying one thing is unsafe if you do it, but fine if we do it because we really want to.

@TeenLifeMum this will not have been done for the benefit of the children, let me make that very clear.

Teachers try and get away with bringing dogs to work because they can't afford/can't be arsed with pet sitters or dog walkers. It is entirely selfish.

Also if you think correct risk assessments are done for stuff like this then it's very clear you've never worked in a school!

I had a very debilitating phobia of dogs until I was in my 30s and got a puppy.

I truly wish something like this had happened when I was at school because it would have given me the opportunity to get past my phobia in a non-threatening and supportive environment. I've missed out on so many experiences because I darent go places where there's likely to be dogs.

It's also silly to say that owners aren't capable of risk assessing their dogs. Mine is a cuddly ball of fluff and adores being snuggled into me and stroked by me, but she absolutely does not like strangers touching her so I don't allow her to be petted or approached by strangers, or put her in environments which would be stressful for her. Other dogs would likely be absolutely fine in environments that she isn't.

I visit many schools as part of my work, and am seeing an increasing number of "therapy" dogs on site...
Most are absolutely fine, but there's one that stuck with me...
It was the middle of winter and about 8am, so I appeared at the front office still wearing a very average woolly hat with a pom-pom on top. I was invited in and bought round to the office to sort some paperwork, and this dog was in there. And it went absolutely bat-shit, barking and growling at me. So much so that the head teacher, the owner of said dog stuck her head out HER office, took one look at me, and went, "Oh, he's scared of people in hats."

I'm sorry? It's the middle of winter and this is a primary school. There's going to be umpteen people, including small children, wearing hats. Madness.

That’s my point the headteacher shouldn’t be able to bring their dog in

I'm so surprised by the sheer number of people on mumsnet who have dog allergies in the family

Yes I have worked in a school and part of my role was risk assessing school trips. I now work in a hospital trust.

I really think the parents who panic about this stuff need to relax. If there’s a genuine phobia then they can approach the teacher but, and I say this with 3 teenage dc (one with severe allergies and allergies myself), all 3 schools my dc have attended have had school dogs and the positive impact was huge. I was unsure initially. They have never been forced on dc who don’t want to interact but it’s been a wonderful golden retriever at primary (owned by the head teacher) and a spaniel at the two secondary schools.

@TeenLifeMum If it were for the benefit of the kids, I may agree.

But it never is. I've worked in schools for 20+ years and this is always for the benefit of the dog owner.

At one school I worked at, the business manager brought both her dogs in. She had them in her office and took them up and down the corridor for a walk. They quite frequently escaped, ran off and messed, usually in the corridor, which then stank. Her office was overheated, small and also stank. I didn’t enjoy dodging dog poo whilst walking down the corridor.

A teacher brought his lab to school. His teaching room was on the ground floor, overlooking a field and he built a secure space, so the dog could run up and down. He walked it on the field at lunch time.

The first I disliked intensely, the second I didn’t mind at all.

For those who bligthly assume their school has done a dog risk assessment, ask if the following has been done:

Have parents been polled for details of allergies etc?
Is there evacuation plan in place for the dog in case of a fire drill? (This is a real thing I'm afraid, and yes, it will take a member of staff away from evacuating the children!)
Has there been a vet certificate issued for proof of vaccination/worm/flea treatment?
Have the children been notified of what to do if the dog escapes?
Will children be at risk of encountering dog mess at/inside school?
Is the dog supervised all day or is it left in an office?
Has the dog been assessed as a 'therapy dog'?
Can any member of staff bring their dog into school if they can't be bothered to pay for a dog sitter?

Ask these questions and more OP. I can already tell you the answer to 90 percent of these questions.

I will not tolerate them in a place where my pupils should be comfortable and safe.

Not my experience. Primary head’s wife worked from home and would bring dog in for a hour once a week.

secondary school, they belong to a member of the Sen team and largely used with autistic dc. My dc rarely see them but when they do it’s their best day ever even at 13.

The independent schools generally have them as the house master/mistress who lives on site for the boarders have them.

We bring dogs into the hospital wards regularly. People really aren’t so allergic they can’t have a dog in the vicinity so long as it doesn’t go to their bedside. In 10 years of us doing this, not once has there been a reported incident. We have Shetland ponies visit too. they’re not bringing in xl bullies 😂

@TeenLifeMum we're not talking about one hour a week, we're talking about the growing trend of bringing your dog in all day every day.

An hour a week would be perfectly fine, if properly controlled and assessed

I think the head is rather unwise to do this, given the risks. Can you call the local police non emergency number?

The only schools I know with dogs in daily is the autism hub locally that has a trained therapy dog and all the independent schools round here. The other schools get regular visits but not daily. I appreciate other schools may do this but that’s in line with independent schools. It calms students and improves attendance. But you can make dramatic sweeping statements all you like. I think that if the reality of having a school dog meant dc were having allergic reactions and some were traumatised, teachers would see that and stop it. I’ve never heard of dc being forced to interact with a school dog. They’re usually very low key and dc are given choice.

honestly I would have loved a dog being at school when I was younger

honestly I would have despised it. You can see a dog on your own time.

I also know of a senior teacher who got a dog as a pet and brought it in to work selling it as being good and therapeutic for the children. I don’t think people were convinced. The arrangement didn’t work and it soon fizzled out.

The idea of allowing a dog and all of their associated filth wander around what should be a hygienic environment with strict infection control is revolting.

Completely agree, and am aghast. So disappointing, gross, yuck. Absolutely no thanks. I can't understand it being allowed.

This country has absolutely lost it's mind where dogs are concerned.

The pleasure that a few patients derive by having from having these animals around shouldn't override the concerns of those who fear, dislike or are allergic to dogs.

Okay. MRSA, noro, flu, covid… but “dirt” from a dog is what concerns you?