We were invited to attend St George’s Primary school here in Minster on sea, originally as a one off visit with a teacher friend of mine with the now sadly departed Bailey.
Such was the impression created by his presence we returned several times visiting all the classes, our second year we visited and took along JJ our new puppy who despite our best efforts never got over being attacked by a loose dog in the street before he was a year old and I never had him assessed as a Therapy dog be of his nervousness which is a shame because he’s a beautiful dog.
Year three we were asked to become Reading dogs from the school which was new to us but the challenge was accepted and at one stage myself and Lynne along with our newly qualified Valli at 9 months old who was joining Bailey read with over a 100 children per week.
Along came Bowyer in November 2019, already getting requests for him to visit the school before he was home we gave him a week to settle at home before driving him to the school, our arrival at school was met with lots of excitement as just under 400 children were assembled in the hall the head teacher struggled to quiet them as Bow was spotted through an open door, I passed Bows lead to a TA waiting with me and entered the hall alone, telling the children their behaviour wasn’t acceptable with a new puppy which immediately met with a quieter group and slowly we gained the silence the head had asked for.
Returning to collect Bowyer we stood on the stage so all the children could see him, he did no more than sniff about and take a pi55 much to the delight of every child.
As well as the Reading we work with children with additional needs such as Speech delay, ADHD and many others under the Autism spectrum.
One young lad with Speech delay I started working with 5 years ago, now in his final year was made School prefect for his progress through the school and while I take no credit for this he sat reading with his reading partner a young lad in his first year at school, after completing his reading he sat and assisted the lad with his reading and then showed him how to correctly introduce himself to Valli then how to stroke her.
This was duly noted by a passing staff member and went all the way via the head to the trust and eventually to the council who have visited to see our dogs working with the children.
Throughout our 10 years at the school our dogs have been visited by children and adults living with everything from behavioural issues to dog fears, domestic/sexual abuse to ex forces with PTSD, relatives of parental and child suicide to those that just want meet them.
Doing what I do is humbling, most days I get to see what I couldn’t explain if I wrote a book purely because you have to be there to see it.
Bowyer will be our last dog, if he goes full term I’ll be around 75 so if I’ve lasted that long it’ll be time to call it quits, I’d have attended school for longer than I did when I was supposed to be there.
All those years ago when Charltonlife visited The Upbeats which lead to
@3blokes inviting us to visit his school in bexleyheath, helped me decide this is what I wanted to do, putting smiles on faces.
It why we do what we do, thank you 🙏
m
Comments
Excellent work!
I remember when we first agreed to meet up in the old Liberal Club before a home game and we 'hit it off', then your visit with the now late 'Bailey' to meet Ang at our place and she showed you some training techniques in the middle of nowhere, while I did the 'match thread' all those years ago and the occasional dog shows we went to, with the fondest of memories.
However the path you chose with Bailey, Valli and Bow has been a privilege to watch from afar. The work you do is invaluable to the children you and your GSD's deliver, long may it continue. The fact you do this on a voluntary basis for 10 years is extraordinary, however I must pull you up on the fact you'll be giving this up at the age of 75, if true then you must have stopped earlier this year!!
Our work will and does drag every emotion out your body, be it at school or privately.
People that just need someone to listen, not to judge or set parameters.
As someone that felt I had to live up to others expectation's and failed miserably, it’s something I can relate to.