School Dogs – Pooches In The Playground (And The Classroom).

 

If you’re a person of a certain age, you may remember school days when a stray dog would appear in the playground. This would result in much delight and mayhem amongst excitable children, as depicted in this excerpt of a poem written by Allan Ahlberg:-

Dog in the playground:
We’ll catch him, Miss.
Leave it to us.
Just watch this!

Dog in the playground
What a to-do!
Thirty-five children,
Caretaker too,
Chasing the dog,
Chasing each other.
I know that dog –
He’s our dog’s brother!

Dogs were once a unique sight at school. These days, many more schools are actively recruiting dogs as emotional and educational support dogs. The human-animal bond is still a relatively new area for research. However, researchers have long reported the positive benefits of pet owning including, increased confidence, reduction in loneliness and an increase in feelings of social support.

School therapy dogs for educational and emotional wellbeing.

In recent years there has been a lot of interest in how dogs may influence child development, particularly those suffering from autism, ADHD and other similar conditions. As a result, there has been a rise in the number of schools integrating dogs into school life.

There are many organisations throughout the UK who organise therapy dog visits to schools. Among them is PAT dogs (Pets As Therapy). Their ‘read to dogs scheme’ can help children improve their reading skills, as well as boost confidence and concentration. This is particularly important for with those children who have behavioural or, emotional, issues.

Do dogs have to be specially trained?

The National School Dog Alliance (NSDA) promotes safe and healthy dog-human interactions within UK schools. Not every dog will suitable for a school environment, and the NSDA provide advise and resources to ensure the right dog is matched with the right learners. It is essential the right dog is chosen because it is important for the dog’s welfare not to be placed in a situation it cannot handle. Clearly, this would be a health and safety issue for children involved.

Therefore, training is crucial. Currently, there is no legislation that addresses dogs in schools. Unfortunately, this means some dogs are placed in stressful situations and the danger is obviously one of a bite risk. Indeed, as reported by the BBC just this January (2025) the Dogs Trust advise against introducing dogs into schools.

This is because they feel, the welfare of the dog should be a priority. Dogs should not merely tolerate being in a school environment, which is often noisy, busy and unpredictable. Their concerns centre strongly around the issue of social and environmental stress, which they believe, can lead to an increase in irritability which could lead to aggressiveness.

With this in mind, PAWS Therapy Dog Training, provide education and support services to any establishment wishing to incorporate a support animal into their school.

Final thoughts.

There is no doubt that having a dog in an educational setting, either visiting, or full time has many benefits. Not only can support dogs reduce stress and anxiety, they encourage social interaction. However, the welfare of the dog is equally important. Before introducing a dog into school there are many factors to consider, including risk assessment, insurance, health and safety, training and welfare and care of the dog.

If you are considering introducing a therapy dog into your educational establishment please check out these links;-

The National School Dog Alliance.

Dogs Trust School Dogs Guide.

Pets As Therapy Read2Dogs Scheme.

PAWS Therapy Dogs.