Teacher’s dogs in classroom?

[Sunnyday14558]

Our son starts school in September. We had a meeting this evening with the new class teacher and fellow parents and the teacher dropped on that she has two sausage dogs. She said she brings one into class and is going to bring the second into class next week and ‘hopes he gets on with the kids’. All the fellow parents made a lot of ‘awww’ sounds but honestly I was a bit surprised.
is this normal in schools? She also said that if any parents were uncomfortable she’d try and work something out. I’m nervous around dogs but mostly because I have a four year old boy who doesn’t have experience being around them. I feel in an awkward situation where I don’t want to be ‘that’ parent if I say I’m not happy but equally, maybe it’s ok? So confused

My old headteacher (after I left that workplace) wanted to bring his brand new puppy into school every day because it couldn’t be left alone. Dogs in classrooms need to be trained, certified and insured. I would be questioning this (and I love dogs!)

A trained, therapy dog once a week fine, a teacher's untrained potentially snappy little dogs not fine.

What next will this teacher think is a good idea I'd be asking myself.

I would not like this at all. My kids are around dogs, as my sister has them, but don’t like them at all (sorry!). As your child is starting reception does the school have multiple forms? If yes, I’d ask if your child can be in one of the other classes.

Our dds would have loved it, and so would the 3 Gdcs now.

Yup its this. The whole trend for dogs in schools has absolutely come from teachers who got a dog in covid and now it cant be left at home all day on its own so they want to bring it into school.

Allergies, fears, and children who simply dont want to be around dogs (and shouldnt have to be!) aside, where are these animals toileting? Eating? Who's walking them?

Whos paying for extra cleaning because a dog is walking its dirty feet around and shedding hair all over the place? Not to mention id be really surprised if a full risk assessment has been done and the dog chosen specifically for a therapeutically appropriate behaviour profile etc.

Then theres the massive distraction to kids who have quite enough distractions to manage as it is.

Its completely unprofessional and inappropriate and im amazed more parents dont kick off.

A dachshund comes into the office where I with and it’s very barky and aggressive with customers. I can’t imagine a dog in a classroom with 30 kids is not going to get stressed at noise levels either.

Also as other have said, if she establishes these dogs as ‘school dogs’ what happens when a child joins that has an allergy? That child is either restricted from available classes due to that teachers lifestyle choice or she will have to stop bringing them in which will immediately single out the child as the one that caused the dogs to be removed (tbf that could be a positive by that point)

I have the nicest, softest dog you could ask for but no way would I want him around 30 4 year olds.
We have friends of my four year old try to ride him and wrestle him in the past.

Ask whether incidents caused by the dogs are covered by the school's liability insurance. You may find the problem disappears.

We live in a world with dogs OP so your son needs to experience them some time.

This is why the UK is fucked. Instead of thinking how nice or even live and let live, it’ll be a bit of fun-people’s first thoughts are phobias and allergies.

Absolute 100% no

Should not be allowed, for a myriad of reasons

Our primary school has a school dog. She belongs to the head and stays in her office. The dog is brought out at break times for kids to pet and then of course if they are in the heads office for any reason they will be around the dog.

I do think a class environment is a bit much.

I've come across dogs in classrooms, sometimes belonging to teachers, but they have been trained to be there (some schools use 'reading dogs' for example) my son's art teacher had 2 Burmese, but that was an independent school and they were always around.
Have a conversation with the head and see if the classes can be swapped. If that's met with a no, then ask for the risk assessment etc on these particular dogs (with 3 classes there are going to be children who are allergic to dog hair, are frightened of dogs, any manner of other problems)

I suppose it might be nice for a special treat for children who want to do this?

But it should not be inflicted on everybody.

Don’t be silly. There’s a world of difference between gaining some experience of dogs generally and a classroom with two untrained dogs basically unsupervised in a roomful of pre schoolers.
Only the truly naive and uneducated would not recognise this as the huge problem that it is. I say this as a dog trainer who sees problems daily caused by well meaning but dumb child/dog interactions
Therapy dog picked specifically and trained to the task - well managed and with small groups of children irregularly ✅
2 untrained daccies loose in class full time FUCK NO!!!

Hard no from me as this sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Dogs + 30 reception aged children in an enclosed space. What could go wrong?

Safety of the children aside, I think the teacher is being an irresponsible pet owner - that level of stress for a highly strung breed like a Dachshund is not in the best interests of the dog. The teacher will be distracted by caring for them - what will she do if they need the toilet mid lesson?

I adore dogs and work in a pet friendly office - but I would be having strong words in writing with the head about this.

Crackers.

Calm down dear and take your own advice. 🙄

Yes, it would be nice if the teacher didn’t assume that everyone loved her dog and allowed children who didn’t want to be around dogs to live and let live. Last time I checked schools were for the benefit of all children, not just those who like dogs?

I actually think therapy dogs are a great idea in schools, but the difference is no child is forced to be around them if they don’t want to be - and they are properly trained.

i also have never met a dachshund that isn’t snappy and / or yappy - surely there would be more appropriate breeds to bring into schools.

As a parent, grandparent, and retired teacher - I think it's uutterly ridiiculous. I think I would be 'that parent'*!

Many years ago but when I was in year 3, my teacher used to sometimes bring her dog in. It was a biggish dog but I think quite docile. I was terrified of dogs, every time she brought it in, I was in a state of flight or flight all day - I remember the fear I felt as it used to sit under the tables and I never knew if it was near me, I was so afraid - but I had to pretend I was fine because it was (just about) the 90s - I suppose I don't really have a view on this other than to those posters saying kids need to get used to it - I really don't think this is the way to do it.

I like dogs, my kids like dogs.
should my 4 year old have to spend 5 days a week with 2 dogs running round when they’re supposed to be learning at school, no

It’s only going to take one child tripping and falling on or near enough the dog to scare it for a perfectly kind,gentle dog to bite from fear or pain. Or dropping something. Or screaching. Or roughly handling one by mistake. Or countless other things

Both myself and oldest are allergic, so no I would not be happy with that.
I would raise it with the school.

Experience might be good - but presumably not with one of the most aggressive breeds out there. Dachshunds aren’t known for obedience, and are stubborn hunting dogs - they’re notoriously difficult to train and prone to reactivity. They’re not a breed I’d be throwing into a classroom, especially not two of them.

I went to a large primary school just before half term to take part in a CIN meeting. There were 4 dogs there in different parts of the school. It is the first time I've come across that many. Its been quite common in the last couple of years to see one but I've never seen more than that!.
I know one dog was part of the forest school unit, I'm not sure about the other three.