Benefits of therapy dogs in schools

It would be an underestimation to say that the pandemic was difficult for everyone. For one teacher, it became even more challenging after the loss of their Grandfather-in-law toward the end of the first lockdown. Following this loss and after years of considering getting a dog, it led to one of those ‘let’s just do it’ moments. Enter Crawford, who began attending Soho Parish Primary School when he was just three months old. Crawford couldn’t have arrived at a better time, when he was needed most. He was named in honour of the great man they had lost. Prior to getting a dog, the teacher had read about the benefits of therapy dogs in schools and had discussed them with the Head Teacher. Once the decision was made to get a dog, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to train him to become one.

A frequent rider of the 87 bus, Crawford travelled to school every day with his owner. As he settled into his new environment, he started his school life by joining the Year 6 class. The excitement among the children was palpable. Over the years, school council meetings had frequently included requests for a class pet, and their wish had finally been granted. As Crawford was just three months old at the time, a routine was quickly established, much like with the Reception children when they first start school. There was initial concern that having a dog in the classroom might be distracting, but this proved not to be the case. In fact, Crawford’s frequent puppy naps helped foster a calm atmosphere throughout the room.

From the outset, Crawford had a positive impact on the children. One student expressed, “Crawford makes me feel happy and comforted.” Many of the Year 6 children had not regularly attended school for six months, and their return was unlike previous years. Having Crawford in the classroom raised morale and made the children excited to come to school. For some students, this was especially important and they recognised that he had an impact on their wellbeing: “I struggle with stress, and it comes to me very easily. I think Crawford really helps with that stress. He’s just always there for me to cuddle. When I’m feeling bad, I go and sit with him. I feel like he understands and he’s nice and lets me cuddle him.” A study conducted by Lincoln University (2022) explored the effects of dog-assisted interventions on school children’s stress levels. The study found that dog interventions significantly reduced stress, with lasting benefits. Children in mainstream schools who participated in these interventions did not experience the same increase in stress hormones as the control group. Children in special educational needs (SEN) schools showed the greatest benefit from group dog interventions, with a noticeable reduction in cortisol levels. Some children in the class struggled with emotional regulation. For one student, it was observed that their ability to calm down after frustration improved significantly: “It calms me down, playing with him and stroking him. I calm down quicker when I’m with him than when I’m not.” As Crawford grew more familiar with the school, time with him was scheduled as a behavioural incentive. During the second lockdown, one student mentioned that Crawford was the thing they missed most about school, even keeping a picture of him at home as a reminder of their weekly play session. Owning a pet involves responsibility, something the children quickly learned. “Loads of people can’t have pets at home, so it’s nice to have the experience of a dog in the class,” one student noted. Many students didn’t have access to outside space and thus could not keep pets. Crawford provided them with an opportunity to experience ownership and the responsibilities it entails. From ensuring his water bowl was full to setting up his bed each morning, the children took pride in caring for him. Crawford’s good behaviour and obedience were also a result of the children’s efforts, as they took turns lining up to give him a treat when he followed commands. As the English Lead, the teacher was eager to incorporate Crawford into lessons to encourage reading and writing. One of Crawford’s favourite activities was sitting and listening to children read, particularly if it was something they had written themselves. For one student, reading their writing to Crawford became a source of motivation: “I like Crawford listening to my writing, he seemed calm and relaxed when I was doing it. I was finding it difficult to write, but when I heard I could read it to Crawford, I wrote more and more.” Therapy Dogs Nationwide (2024) have also highlighted the positive impact of therapy dogs on reading confidence through their “Paws & Read” program, which ‘allows these children to read to a therapy dog, as they are non-judgemental, attentive and perfect listeners’ (Therapy Dogs Nationwide, 2024). The teacher will forever be grateful for the joy, fun, and sense of support Crawford brought to the school, especially during the pandemic. He changed the narrative of the school year for many children and continued to positively impact their wellbeing in the years that followed. References Meints K, Brelsford VL, Dimolareva M, Maréchal L, Pennington K, Rowan E, et al. (2022). Can dogs reduce stress levels in school children? Effects of dog-assisted interventions on salivary cortisol in children with and without special educational needs using randomized controlled trials. PLOS ONE 17(6): e0269333. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269333 Therapy Dogs Nationwide. (2024). Schools. Available at: https://tdn.org.uk/schools-2/