Dog Mentor
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The Dog Mentor Programme has built upon the benefits of the human-animal bond by providing children positive experiences with dogs that can help them educationally, developmentally, emotionally and socially.
Through the Dog Mentor Programme, pupils increase their understanding of responsibility and develop empathy and nurturing skills through contact with a calm, suitable dog. In addition to these benefits, children take great enjoyment from interaction with a dog.
Herman our Dog Mentor has been assessed by Jenny Duckworth, who is an outstanding dog trainer with extensive experience in the study of neuro-linguistic programming. As an affiliated Dog Mentor school, we have access to Jenny’s experience, pastoral support programme and updated risk assessments for Herman the dog.
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Benefits of a school dog
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Attendance
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Behaviour difficulties may occur in school and these can interfere with learning. Dogs can be used to improve behaviour problems by promoting positive behaviour in students.
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Reading programmes with dogs are doing wonders for some students. Children who might be embarrassed to read aloud to the class or even adults are likely to be less scared to read to a dog. Dogs give unconditional acceptance, as they are non-judgmental, which is especially crucial to struggling, emerging readers.
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Social Development: Dogs in school offer an opportunity for improving social development. They are especially useful for teaching students social skills and responsibility. Specifically, schools are using dogs to help older students build self-esteem; learn about positive and negative reinforcement, responsibility, and boundaries. Older students use dogs to help communicate, teach kindness, and empower students.
- Support Dogs can work with students on a one-one basis and will especially help those students who have been going through upsetting/difficult times or even scared/phobic of dogs. The dog will bring much joy and help to all the students they meet and are happy to provide plenty of hugs to the students they are spending time with. Students who struggle with social interaction can find a reassuring friend in a dog.