School Dogs Change Student Dynamics By Richard Rice, Media Manager, Service Dogs Alabama
Many Alabama schools have already returned to in-class learning this fall, and some students may notice a four-legged classmate. Currently, 26 schools have Facility Intervention Dogs provided by Service Dogs Alabama (SDA) through an exclusive partnership with the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE). The Facility Intervention Dogs your child encounters in the classroom provide students with cognitive, physiological, social and emotional support. Having a residential Facility Intervention Dog present in the classroom promotes a positive mood and provides significant anti-stress effects on the body. SDA Facility Intervention Dogs are trained for specific needs of the facility and handler to defuse disruptive behaviors with intervention tasks that effectively minimize or eliminate trauma episodes and emotional confrontations. The calming presence of a trained intervention dog will provide motivation to participate, relieve test anxiety, increase focus, create an inclusive and safe space and can calm a potentially explosive situation. “Having Popcorn in the classroom helps students cope with almost anything. To them, if Popcorn can handle something, so can they,” says Brandi Reiske from Wetumpka Elementary School. “She gives the children added confidence, and she pays special attention to the ones who may need her a little more.” “One of my students that Cassie has helped so much has trichotillomania, a hair pulling disorder, said Kimberly Henderson from Ozark City Schools. Since Cassie has been in school with him, all his hair and eyebrows have grown back!” Professionally trained Facility Intervention Dogs who work full-time in schools are quite different from Therapy Dogs who visit schools on occasion. School Dogs work off-leash in the classrooms. They are trained to detect elevated levels of stress and know a wide range of tasks to intervene. School educators, counselors, and even principals are selected as handlers in the schools. The dogs can interact with hundreds of students daily. Frances McGowin, executive director of SDA, says, “Having a trained Facility Intervention Dog as a consistent presence in a school can change the whole dynamic of the school.” Maggie’s handler Joshua McCullers, from Pine Level Elementary says, “When she’s at the house, she’s just a dog. You take care of her, love her, spoil her, and when you put that vest on them, their whole demeanor just changes. They know it’s time to go to work and it’s time to help people.” The dogs everyone knows to be lovable, gentle and faithful companions have a new profession: therapist, motivator and interventionist, and so much more. These dogs change the dynamics of classrooms by intercepting the stress and anxiety that can cause disruptive and explosive behaviors, thus creating drama free classrooms where children can participate and learn. Service Dogs Alabama is the oldest and largest non-profit organization in Alabama that serves both children and veterans and has placed over 104 dogs with qualified individuals or facilities. SDA provides medical and psychological assistance dogs to children, adults, and veterans with disabilities and Facility Intervention Dogs for schools and courtrooms. SDA has developed a 43-acre state-of-the-art training complex in Hope Hull, AL (Guice Slawson Training Complex); built an additional kennel facility in North Alabama, created a prison-based dog training initiative and has implemented unparalleled School Dog and Courtroom Dog programs. For more information about Service Dogs Alabama visit www.servicedogsalabama.org. 16 | birminghamparent | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
Service dog, Bullet, in class. Photo courtesy of Service Dogs Alabama
