Skye-The Dog Mentor
Skye is a 7-year-old cockapoo and is Mrs Waide’s family dog. Skye has undergone various assessments and checks to become a certified therapy dog, and we are very proud to say she passed with flying colours. Skye completed ‘The Dog Mentor’ training programme which focused upon the benefits of the human-animal bond by providing children with positive experiences with dogs that can help them educationally, developmentally, emotionally and socially.
The benefits of a school dog
School dogs have been proven to help develop pupils’ reading skills, improve behaviour, attendance and academic confidence, as well as increasing student understanding of responsibility and in the development of empathy and nurturing skills. We are confident that Skye will be a beneficial addition to the pastoral support we offer here at Christ the King Catholic Primary School.
Research into the effects of therapy dogs in schools shows a range of benefits including:
- Teaching empathy and appropriate interpersonal skills;
- Helping individuals develop social skills and increasing self-esteem;
- Soothing and calming effect;
- Improving a child’s ability to pick up on social cues which are imperative to human relationships;
- Supporting emotional regulation through the positive impact on the autonomic nervous system
- Increasing improved motivation for learning, resulting in improved outcomes;
- Supporting children with their social and emotional learning needs, which can also aid literacy development.
- Increasing school attendance
- Improving confidence
- Decreasing pupil anxiety resulting in improvements in learning, such as increasing reading and writing level
- Enhancing relationships with peers and teachers due to experiencing trust and unconditional positive interactions with a therapy dog
- Helping children learn how to express their feelings and enter into more trusting relationships.
- Teaching responsibility and respect to all life
Skye will be working in school for two days a week. She will be assessed daily before coming to school to ensure he is fit and well enough for the day ahead. If she is unwell, she will stay at home. Skye will always be accompanied by one of 2 trained insured adults in school – Mrs Waide, & Miss Riggs, and she will always be on a lead.
As part of the process of becoming a certified therapy dog, Skye visits the vet regularly for general health check-ups and for regular and required vaccinations. As part of the process of introducing a therapy dog in school we have risk assessments in place and relevant insurance.