Adding a dog to the classroom is not some kind of gimmicky idea. Researchers have consistently found that the aforementioned idea is greatly beneficial to students. When dogs are around, young learners are less stressed, more confident, and even their physical condition tends to improve.
A class dog can work wonders for your students, but how should you go about actually integrating one into your classroom environment? We will dive into that topic in this article. Continue reading below if you want to learn how to pull that off.
Ensure That Everyone Approves the Idea
Before you can bring a therapy dog to school, you have to be certain that everyone is okay with the idea. Ask your students, their parents, and the school staff to sign off on the idea before you move forward with it.
You can try convincing those who are on the fence, but don’t force them into approving your idea. This kind of proposal is something that must be considered carefully so give them ample time to make a decision.
Establish Protocols for Handling the Dog
This study published on the National Library of Medicine’s website highlights some of the things you must do if you want to add a dog to your classroom. Among the suggestions listed in the article is establishing school-wide protocols for handling the therapy dogs. These protocols should provide sanitation and handling guidelines.
It’s important to create protocols for the therapy dogs so everyone in the school knows to handle them. The program can be implemented better if everyone is on the same page.
Entrust Supervision to More Than One Person
If you decide to add a dog to your classroom, you will need assistance watching over them. Enlist the help of an assistant who is comfortable working with dogs so you can focus more on teaching. The assistant in this scenario could also be another employee on the school’s payroll.
By having two people with eyes on the dogs at all times, the odds of any accident occurring can be greatly reduced.
Prepare an Outdoor Area for the Dog
Lastly, you also have to prepare an outdoor area before bringing the therapy dog to school. The therapy dog will also need some breaks over the course of the long school day. Make sure they can relax by giving them some outdoor time.
When not in the classroom, your therapy dog will also need some time to relax and unwind. Contact us at TAILored Pet Services so your dog can enjoy leisurely walks while you continue to rest. Call/text 425-923-7791 or contact us through our website if you need someone who can take over your dog walking duties for a while.
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