Therapy Dog Program
We are pleased to be continuing our therapy dog program at our school with two trained therapy dogs that will be at Eastern on a regular basis (Max and Quincey). Max will work with me as a Canine School Counselor and Quincey will work with our Library Media Specialist (Debbie Gossage) as a Reading Dog.
We have partnered with Pawsibilities Unleashed to implement our therapy dog program. Both dogs and handlers were trained and are insured through their organization. During the 2018-19 school year, volunteers from Pawsibilities Unleashed brought their dogs to our school for visits so that we could learn more about therapy dog work in schools and teach our students about animal etiquette.
Max is an Aussiedoodle (Australian Shephard/Poodle Mix) that was a breeder turn-in to Pawsibilities. He spent eight weeks training through their Paw and Order training program through a local prison. During this time, he provided a service to inmates while he learned manners and how to comfort others. He passed his AKC Canine Good Citizenship Test with a perfect score! Max lives with me now, and I attended training with Max to become certified as a therapy dog handler. Liability insurance and continued training are provided through Pawsibilities Unleashed. Read Max's News Story here: http://www.news-graphic.com/news/max-the-canine-counselor-added-to-eastern-elementary-school-s/article_24969c32-a8d3-11e9-adc3-3772af2e32d6.html?fbclid=IwAR3vxmEFD_FdscDfCzeMM5mZecemRRjGlZuUMvHKvLyw6OMHJZpoyg81wIc
Quincey lives with our library media specialist. He is a lab/australian shepherd mix. He has been working as a therapy dog for 7 1/2 years in other schools and will be new to Eastern this year. Watch Quincey's News Story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl2PgoOzgD0&feature=youtu.be
Why do we have therapy dogs? Therapy dogs in schools can help to reduce stress and anxiety among students, improve attendance, help teach social skills, increase confidence in reading, and encourage students to talk about their emotions.
All students must have a permission form on file in order to have contact with the therapy dogs. Without a permission form on file, students may still see the dogs in the building, but will not be permitted to interact with them (i.e. pet, read to, etc.) If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Johnson, our school counselor.
Meet Max
Meet Quincey
Questions & Concerns:
We want Max to contribute to a positive learning environment for all students. If you have concerns, please contact Mrs. Johnson to discuss any changes that you believe we should make to our therapy dog program.
Please note that Max is here to support students and to have a positive impact on our school. No student is required to interact with Max. Here are the two most common concerns about school therapy dogs:
1. What if my child is allergic to dogs?
Please indicate so on your child's permission form and contact Mrs. Johnson, if you have more concerns. If you believe your child's allergies are minor enough, you may give permission for him or her to participate in the program. You may also indicate that you do not give permission for your child to participate. We will respect your wishes.
Here are some things we do to protect your child: Max is naturally low/non-shedding, although there is technically no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, Max is as close as they come. He is professionally groomed regularly with his hair clipped short. He is given weekly baths and he is wiped with deodorizing wipes daily. All students that pet Max are instructed to wash their hands immediately after. If Max visits a classroom where a student has allergies, he will not sit on the carpets and your child will not be permitted to pet him unless you have given permission.
2. What if my child is afraid of dogs?
Dogs are everywhere in society. You may run into dogs while shopping, visiting the local park, or at a local festival. Let's work together to help your child overcome his or her fear. Please contact me and let's discuss options. Interaction with Max will not be forced on any child. We can arrange a private meeting for your child to meet Max. His temperament was tested prior to training and he is well trained not to jump or intimidate any child. He remains on a leash at all times and is not freely roaming the school.
If you have any concerns about your child interacting with our school therapy dog, please contact me to create an individual plan for your child.
Links:
Pawsibilities Unleased (Our Therapy Dog Partner)
Research on Therapy Dogs in Schools
ERIC Reviewed Research Articles on Therapy Dogs in Schools
MindShift Article on Therapy Dogs in Schools
An Example of a School Therapy Dog Program
​