Classroom: Drawbacks of Having a Dog

Being in the company of just about any pet dog can be a positive experience. As it turns out, those experiences can remain positive even inside a classroom setting.

Studies have consistently found that dogs can help create a better environment for young learners. You can read more about that in this previous article we posted last week.

That said, there are still potential drawbacks to having dogs inside the classroom. In this article, we’ll discuss some of those drawbacks and the ways to manage them.

What Are the Drawbacks of Having a Dog inside the Classroom?

In this study published on the Education Resources Information Center’s website, the author took some time to highlight the concerns that some people have about having dogs inside the classroom.

The study reveals that most people were concerned about the liability implications of having a dog present. They were wondering who would be responsible for the dog if something did indeed go wrong.

You also have people concerned about supervision. Who would be in charge of watching over the dog to ensure that no accidents took place?

Lastly, there were also concerns raised about the allergic reactions that a dog may trigger if it was constantly around kids.

There are legitimate concerns that must be addressed before a dog can be added to a classroom. Thankfully, there are ways to manage the situation so a dog can be added to the classroom without making any of the students present feel uncomfortable.

How to Mitigate the Potential Drawbacks of Having a Dog inside the Classroom

So, what should you do if you want to add a dog to your classroom but you want to address the concerns we highlighted in the previous section as well? One solution is to keep the dog on a leash.

Early on, you can keep the class dog on a leash until the students feel more comfortable around them. You can also check if any of your students are having allergic reactions to the dog.

Monitor how the situation evolves from there.

If some of your students feel uneasy or are experiencing allergic reactions, you can still remove the dog from your classroom.  If things are gradually improving, you may be able to give the dog more freedom.

As long as you keep a close eye on the situation, things should turn out fine.

Does your class dog need some extra walking time while you’re children are in school? If so, we at TAILored Pet Services can help. Reach out to us today by calling/texting  425-923-7791 or browse our website if you are interested in our services.