Paws for thought
Buying a dog for a school isn't a barking 1nad idea, says Mary Braid.
Man's bestfriend is also a useful classrooni assistm;t.
A dogs were more likely to have their own
Henry is the undisputed star of Dronfield behavioural issues. ·what they and what
School near Sheffield. Whatever the troubled children needed was a stable,
achievements of other members of the intelligent, people-loving animal. Step
comprehensive school, it is Henr)' with forward then puppy Henry, purchased from
. $ '
his soulful eyes and glossy hair, who has a local breeder.Julie looks after him after
hogged the limelight, appearing on television school hours - information that has pacified
in Britain and abroad.Yet despite all the animal lovers v.rho, assuming he \Vas being
public adulation, Henry stirs up no envy or kept 01~ the premises overnight, complained
resentment among the 2000 students - in to the school about Henry's treatment. 'Also,
fact, they all adore him, saying the Cavalier the school budget was too tight to buy a dog
King Charles spaniel is simply a pupil's best and you can imagine that putting one before
friend.Their teachers make even greater books might have stirred some people up a
assertions for Henry.They say the dog, who bit.We wanted the least controversy possible
first arrived six months ago, is a super clog, so we settled on approaching local churches.
who has improved pupil behaviour and They donated the funds to buy him and his
encouraged more students to focus on their favourite food.'
academic achievement. E
B Could the school dog become a craze? Other
'It's hard not to drift off in a large class schools such as the Mulberry Bush, a primary
sometimes,' explains Andrew Wainwright, school for 36 children with behavioural
15, who, like everyone else, is crazv about problems, have stepped forward to point
Henry. 'So when I go to catch-up classes, out they already have one. Rosie Johnston,
Henry is always in the room where they're a Mulberry staff member, first brought her
held. He helps me focus and get on witi1 it.' golden retriever, Muskoka, into school when
Andrew says Henry is a calming influence he was nine weeks old. That was three years
although he is unsure of why this might be. ago.Aside from being a calming influence,
But he knows that there's something magical Muskoka even plays his part in literacy
about being able to interact with Henry lessons. Children at the school can be too shy
while he is studying. He knows that if he falls to read to adults so they read to rviuskoka. .
behind, that opportunity will be denied. Even 'Their anxiety about mispronouncing
doubting staff have finally been won round. something or getting the words in the wrong
Perhaps that is because Henry, who lies on order is reduced when they read to him,' says
the floor during staff meetings, has also had a Johnston. ·
calming influence on them. F
c Psychologist Dr Deborah Wells from
Wendy Brown is Andrew's teacher. It was Queen's University Belfast specializes in
Brown and Julie Smart, the school counsellor, animal-human interaction. She believes the
who first proposed buying a school dog. underlying key to the Henrv effect is that
'Julie and I grew up with dogs and we were dogs ofter unconditional lo~'e and that cheers
talking one day about how looking after dogs up adults and children and helps with self-
can affect children's conduct,' savs Brown. esteem. But traditionalist Chris Woodhead,
'We did some research and disc~vered that the former chief inspector of schools says,
the presence of pets has been shown to be 'I can see how children with behavioural
therapeutic. A number of studies have found difficulties might be helped but I'm sceptical
that animals improve recovery after surgery about the use of dogs in mainstream
or illness and have a calming influence on education. I don't see why a teacher cannot
people in lots of settings. Some of my kids create a positive learning environment
can be a handful and some of the children through the subject they teach and their
Julie counsels have terrible problems.' personality. Dogs strike me as a bit of a
publicity stunt. It's the kind of sentimental
D story journalists love.' Despite this sentiment,
The two teachers could have plucked a Henry remains as popular as ever.
dog from a rescue centre but felt that those
