Meet our school dog, Peggy!
Peggy was born on 19th March 2020. She is a female Shihpoo (a cross between a Shih Tzu and a poodle). Peggy is a hypoallergenic dog as she has hair, not fur and so doesn’t shed (malt). She was chocolate brown as a puppy but is now very light in colour. Peggy has a soft, gentle nature and loves being stroked and having her tummy tickled! Peggy is Mrs Cairns’s dog so lives with her at her house.
Some things Peggy may support with:
- Part of topic work/ or literacy lessons e.g. writing non-chronological reports, explanation texts etc.
- To motivate children to complete their work/reading/ achieve goals. They might read a story to Peggy or read her their writing!
- Behaviour incentive – walking her at break/lunchtimes, grooming, feeding, playing with her.
- To support children with additional needs – e.g. speech and language activities, developing social interaction skills
- Attendance incentive (individual or whole class)
- Wet playtime/ lunchtimes
- Those who need additional pastoral care/ nurturing – perhaps due to a family bereavement, anxiety, worry, stress, domestic violence
- Those who are struggling to make secure friendships or who are having friendship issues
Physical benefits. Interaction with school dogs has been shown to reduce blood pressure, provide physical stimulation and assist with pain management.
Social benefits. A school dog promotes greater self-esteem and focused interaction with other students and teachers.
Cognitive benefits. It has been empirically proven that school dogs stimulate memory and problem-solving skills.
Emotional and mental health benefits. A school dog can lift moods, often provoking laughter. Peggy is also there to offer friendship.
How Have School Dogs Been Used in Classrooms to Help Children with Autism?
The classroom can be a stressful and overwhelming environment due to social challenges and peer pressure. A school dog can reduce the effect of this allowing a child with autism to feel more at ease and open to social behaviour. Researchers have found that children with autism are more social when playing with a school dog as opposed to toys. New research offers further proof that animals can also have a therapeutic effect.
A full risk assessment is in place and Peggy has been appropriately trained. However, if you have any queries or concerns please speak to your child’s class teacher, Mrs Stone or Mrs Cairns.
