Student Well-Being

Meet 7 School Therapy Dogs That Support Student and Staff Well-Being

By Evie Blad & Marina Whiteleather — August 24, 2023 1 min read
Therapy dogs Kalani, left, and Shadow pose for a portrait at Morris Elementary School in Morris, Okla., on Jan. 17, 2023.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

For many students, back to school means back to drool.

A growing number of K-12 schools have gone to the canines as social workers, counselors, and administrators train therapy dogs to work in classrooms, offering comfort and learning opportunities for students.

These furry friends aren’t ruffing it. They are pawsitively comfortable joining in classroom reading circles, being stroked by students during counseling sessions, and even helping students with disabilities perfect motor skills through guided exercises. You can read more about how schools train and use therapy dogs here.

To celebrate National Dog Day on Aug. 26, we looked across social media and asked Education Week’s social media followers to share pictures of their school’s therapy dogs.

Here’s a look at some of the canines that help support student and staff well-being.

New pooch in town

J.F. Burns Elementary School in Maineville, Ohio, welcomed Sunny to the staff this year.

Paw-lenteering for pets

Students in West Chester, Pa., schools enjoy a visit from Balto the service dog. Some schools invite trained, screened dogs and volunteer handlers into their classrooms, rather than training their own.

Poodles for pupils

Many schools select poodles for their therapy dogs in hopes that lower-shedding coats will be less likely to set off students’ allergies.

Besties

This gorgeous pair works at Poplar Grove middle and elementary schools in Franklin, Tenn.

Motivational pups

Educators who work with therapy dogs say they can become sort of unofficial school mascots, building students’ engagement in school through pets and belly rubs. Here, a therapy dog at a Kings Mills, Ohio, elementary school accepts birthday goodies.

Golden boy

Golden retrievers are another popular breed of therapy dogs, favored for their cheery dispositions and smily faces. But experts say dogs of any breed can be trained for the task as long as they enjoy being around people.

Say hello to Cooper, who works in a high school in West Deer, Pa.

Paw-mp and circumstance

Experts in animal-assisted therapy recommend that future therapy dogs start with basic obedience classes before they complete programs specially designed for therapy work.

In this photo, Duke, a good boy from Stockton, Calif., dons his tasseled cap.

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Federal Webinar Navigating the Rapid Pace of Education Policy Change: Your Questions, Answered
Join this free webinar to gain an understanding of key education policy developments affecting K-12 schools.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Student Well-Being How Medicaid Spending Cuts Could Harm Schools
Districts use Medicaid to cover costs of special education, student services. Cuts to the program would hurt, superintendents said.
4 min read
Vivien Henshall, a long-term substitute special education teacher, works with Scarlett Rasmussen separately as other classmates listen to instructions from their teacher at Parkside Elementary School on May 17, 2023, in Grants Pass, Ore.
Vivien Henshall, a long-term substitute special education teacher, works with Scarlett Rasmussen as other classmates listen to instructions from their teacher at Parkside Elementary School on May 17, 2023, in Grants Pass, Ore. Proposals to change Medicaid spending could impact the classroom, where special education services are often covered by the federal health insurance program.
Lindsey Wasson/AP
Student Well-Being How a School Nurse Convinced Parents to Vaccinate Their Kids Against Measles
“We know that parents trust not only nurses, but especially school nurses," said Kate King, a school nurse in Columbus, Ohio.
6 min read
Vials of the MMR measles mums and rubella virus vaccine are displayed Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.
Vials of the MMR measles mums and rubella virus vaccine are displayed Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. As the West Texas measles outbreak grew, a school nurse in Columbus, Ohio, persuaded parents of unvaccinated children at her school to get immunized.
Julio Cortez/AP
Student Well-Being Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Student Mental Health & Well-Being?
Answer 7 questions about the state of student mental health & well-being.
Student Well-Being Opinion After 57 Years in Education, Here’s How I’ve Learned to Build Community
Here are my favorite rituals for creating a positive classroom climate.
Roberta Benjamin-Edwards
4 min read
Children and a book of imagination. Concept idea art of kid, learning, adventure, education, freedom, inspiration and dreaming. Conceptual artwork. surreal painting. fantasy 3d illustration. Building Community.
Jorm Sangsorn