ABOUT US
Building friendship and knowledge with dogs
HELLO AND WELCOME!
My name is Ingrid, and I am a trained special educator for children with special needs. I also have academic credits in subjects related to animal-assisted interventions with dogs. Ever since I got my first dog, my goal has been to and work as a school dog handler with my own dogs. It is very challenging for both the dog and the owner to become a certified school dog team, but one day we will succeed, I know that!
In the meantime, our family dogs will build friendship and knowledge together with our children, as their very own school dog on the path of life. Research shows that contact with dogs can be very significant for children in their everyday lives. I have also experienced this through my education, work, and in our own family life with children and dogs. Dogs can have huge positive impact both socially and emotionally, as well as in purposeful learning contexts.
My Schooldog aims to be a meeting place for people who would like to learn more about dogs and children. Through interaction, play, and activities we can faciliate and support children and dogs in building safe friendship and knowledge together. On this site we hope dog owners can find knowledge, professionals, products tips, tricks, games and learning activeties that promotes safe children and dog interactions.
We hope you will find inspiration, products, knowledge, activeties and tips that we hope will help educators, parents, children and young people all around the world, build friendship and knowledge with their professional or very own schooldog
"in the school of life"
We like to distinguish between what we call a professional schooldog and my very own schooldog.
My professional schooldog
These are certified dogs that (together with its owner) have been tested, trained, and approved to work purposefully with children in places like schools, institutions, or in families' homes. If you are a professional school dog team working with children we hope you can find knowledge about the child-dog relationship, inspiration, as well as suggestions for (learning) activities for children and dogs, here at my schooldog.
My very own schooldog
refers to what we like to call ordinary family dogs that serve as friends, daily support, and mentors for children and young people in everyday life. Children who grow up with a safe and loving dog can learn a lot from caring for and interacting with the dog. If you are a dog owner looking for more inspiration and knowledge to enhance the relationship between children and dogs, we hope you can find it here at My Schooldog.
Becoming a certified school dog team requires a lot of effort from both the dog and the handler. The dog must possess the traits and personality needed to thrive in this role. It also needs to be healthy and free from physical pain. The handler must dedicate significant time to training the dog. Financial resources and time to participate in courses, education, mental testing, and certification exams are crucial.
Furthermore, it can be challenging for a certified school dog team to secure enough job opportunities, and it is often difficult to reach out to the children who wish for a school dog as part of a professional team. Very few of those who would like this service actually receive it. Financial constraints and resistance from public institutions regarding animals in settings like schools are some of the many challenges that can prevent children from interacting with a professional school dog.
Professional school dogs are incredibly important! However, they are in short supply. So let’s appreciate, celebrate and enjoy some of the many dogs that naturally build friendship and knowledge with children around the world.
Family dogs, or perhaps the neighbor's dogs that play a significant role in children's everyday lives. Let them become 'your very own school dog' at the school of life, together with us at My Schooldog.