Therapy Dogs in the Classroom?
January 24, 2023
Our golden retrievers, Willow, Sherman and Pearl are the friendliest, happy-go-lucky dogs. They are often clowns that not only enjoy retrieving, they love to carry things. Sherman is a bit of a hoarder and will gather tennis balls and toys to add to his “collection” in his bed.
Pearl is an athletic retriever who will fetch sticks, balls, and frisbees with her aerial acrobatics. She will chase and return, chase and return. Fetch never gets old for Pearl. Willow is the most affectionate of the three.
We sometimes question her loyalty since she adores every human. Our Poodle, Auggie, is a kind gentleman, but “fetch” is beneath him. He would rather accompany us on our chores and run errands in the car. Auggie is too dignified to ever be seen carrying things in his mouth.
He is never silly. I imagine he rolls his eyes when he sees the retrievers’ antics. He is proud and a bit arrogant at times.
Auggie and Pearl may be expecting their first litter of Goldendoodles at the end of February. I predict this cross will produce standard to large Goldendoodles with perfect temperaments to match their physical beauty. I understand why Goldendoodles are so often trained as therapy and service dogs. The calm and loving demeanor of the Golden Retriever bred with a curlier coat with the potential to shed less and cause fewer allergies, can be the perfect hybrid therapy and service dog.
Teaching elementary school has been my passion for 30 years. At this point, I have taught well over 1,000 students. We’ve all heard the cliche’ “teachers change lives.” I would add that my students have changed me. As I have loved them, they have loved me and challenged me. They have changed my perspective and have given me hope for a future world that is more accepting, compassionate, and creative. My students have also broken my heart with their stories of abuse, abandonment, and desperation. I have marveled at their resiliency and ability to show up at school and find a safe community. But I never feel like I’m enough. I see them for such a small amount of time and some of their problems are massive mountains to climb.
I know the power dogs have to heal hearts. I have experienced this healing myself and have observed transformation in others while under the spell of a dog. They’re empathetic emotional healers. That’s why I need a dog in my classroom. One of my Goldendoodles, after receiving certification to become a therapy dog, will be the perfect fit for a classroom of noisy, busy, wounded children. I plan to follow-up with this and share the effects that I see once one of our dogs gets certified as a therapy dog. If you have done this, I would love to hear from you about the results that you have documented.
Therapy dog certification begins with finding the perfect dog with the perfect temperament to not only accept, but enjoy a lot of petting, hugs and kisses from people of all ages and all abilities. The next step is to find a location near you to begin classes. I’m learning more about our local club.
https://www.certapet.com/goldendoodle-service-dog/
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-train-a-therapy-dog/
Finally, if the dog is a good fit as a therapy dog, he or she can be certified by a professional.
All of my students have loved animals. I have had classroom pets that included a ferret, White’s Tree Frog, various reptiles, and even hissing cockroaches. Although not all were cuddly, they were fascinating to the kids. I remember placing the White’s Tree Frog in the hand of a student who was experiencing a debilitating disease in which he was quickly losing his eyesight and muscle coordination. The first time I placed the White’s Tree Frog in his hand, he grinned and laughed. He marveled at the smooth sticky texture of the frog’s skin. He held that frog every day. “Frenzy” the Ferret would scurry around the classroom picking at students’ shoelaces and stealing shiny objects. The students would giggle and squirm and would work hard if Frenzy was allowed to run freely. One morning I arrived early at school to meet the chuckling custodian who had spent a great deal of time catching fugitive Frenzy who had escaped and was hiding in the lunchroom.
Dogs in school is an unconventional idea. But the scientific evidence of dogs improving our emotional health is overwhelming.
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
https://mhanational.org/blog/how-science-supports-pets-improving-your-mental-health
https://psychcentral.com/health/pets-and-mental-health
My students need small “wins” every day and very big hugs. They need a dog they can pet when their emotions are overwhelming and they need to build some resiliency. They need a dog who will accept them unconditionally when their home is not a safe place for them. They need a dog that will allow them to play ball when the other kids have only chosen teammates with athletic ability. They need a dog that will build bridges by providing all students with a common canine to love. My students, perhaps all children, need a dog that will help them climb their own Mt. Everest every single day and empower them to continue scaling mountains as they grow. Dogs are seldom seen in schools. Perhaps that needs to change. The power of a dog’s unconditional love and acceptance can heal the hearts of troubled and traumatized kids. And when my days are heavy and overwhelming and my blood pressure is rising, I can hold a child while we hug a dog.
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