Meet Murphy

Murphy is a red fox retriever, who loves helping children and young people to look after their wellbeing and education. He is a certified therapy dog and his favourite thing to do is play fetch!

What is the School Dog Programme? 

The School Dog Programme will mean that Murphy joins your school for a day a week for 12 weeks to help pupils improve their confidence, resilience, emotional regulation and academic abilities etc. Murphy will be onsite throughout the day (9.00-1.30pm) to complete wellbeing sessions, therapy interventions, educational sessions and of course play and training sessions to support children and young people in the school environment. 

Murphy will be joined by one of the HugglePetsCIC Team who will help conduct wellbeing and educational sessions with pupils. 

Benefits of Murphy as your School Dog

Academic research has shown that dogs working and helping in the school environment can achieve the following:-

• Improve academic achievement
• Increase literacy skills
• Help with calming behaviours
• Increase social skills and self-esteem
• Increase confidence
• Teach responsibility and respect to all life
• Help prevent school refusing
• Motivate children who are often less attentive

How Murphy can help: 

Behaviour

In schools, dogs are making a difference in the behaviour of pupils. Researchers report that students can identify with animals, and build empathy for the dog, can better understand how classmates may feel. Behaviour problems occur in school and these can interfere with learning. Murphy can be used in school to improve behavioural problems by promoting positive behaviour in students.

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Studies show that violent behaviour in students declined by 55%, general aggression went down 62% by having a dog in school.

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Attendance

Case study: Murphy has recently helped a little boy, age 7, who has been avoiding school and has poor attendance, return to the class room by undertaking a series of emotional regulation techniques with the team. Through the incentive of playing and walking Murphy when he attends school he has eventually worked his way up to attending school almost every day.

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Studies show that parents reported that children seemed more interested in school as a result of having a dog at school..

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Education

Reading programmes with Murphy can do wonders for some students. Children can be embarrassed to read aloud to the class or even adults are likely to be less scared to read to a dog. Dogs are used to encourage struggling readers to practise reading aloud. With the presence of a “calm and well-trained dog,” like Murphy students can find social support and peer interaction.

Murphy gives unconditional acceptance, as he is non-judgmental, which is especially crucial to struggling, emergent readers. Murphy provides confidence to children as he does not make fun of them when they read, and he is an amazing listener, providing the children with a sense of comfort and love.

“Research has proved that students who read to dogs show an increase in reading levels and word recognition”

Social Development

Murphy in your school can offer an opportunity for improving social development, and he is especially useful for teaching students social skills and responsibility. Specifically, with helping students build self-esteem; learn about positive and negative reinforcement, responsibility, and boundaries. Students can also use dogs to help communicate, teach kindness, and empower students. 

With Murphy in school, students have the opportunity to learn how to care for an animal. This includes walking and grooming. Researchers report that involving students in the daily care of a school dogs is a positive experience, promoting their own daily care.

The students also learn about responsibility, caring, and sharing when helping each other take care of a dog at school.

“Studies show fewer disciplinary referrals in schools with a dog than schools without.”

As a Reward

Murphy is very gentle and loving, but at the same time full of fun and enjoyment for your students. Students who have performed incredibly well during the week or those who have made progress in a certain subject, or those who have achieved tasks set for them, will be rewarded with spending time during lunch or break to interact with Murphy. Walking, grooming, playing and training are some of the responsibilities students will be allowed to undertake. 

Emotional Support