The Dogs Trust are bringing welfare workshops to schools

With schools set to return this week after the summer holidays, Dogs Trust is promoting its education programme; and is encouraging schools to take advantage of beneficial dog safety and responsible dog ownership lessons for their students. Their free dog welfare workshops, delivered as part of the Charity’s ‘Be Dog Smart’ campaign, enhance the National Curriculum and seek to provide children between the ages of 7-11 with the knowledge and understanding they need to act responsibly and safely around dogs in their homes and those they may see out and about.

Each workshop benefits pupils by involving a pretend dog as its focus, with the aim of developing compassion and consideration for all living beings. Not only do children learn how to behave safely around dogs, they also learn all about the commitment involved in owning a dog through a creative and interactive learning experience.

Last year, Jo Goodman, Dogs Trust’s Education and Community Officer in East Anglia delivered workshops to 14,189 children; an increase of around 20% from 2017 (11,307 children). This year they are on track to improve on this number yet again. With the growing success of the ‘Be Dog Smart’ campaign, Dogs Trust now employs 27 education and community officers across the UK to provide workshops in their designated regions.

Jo Goodman, Education and Community Officer for Dogs Trust in East Anglia, said:

“Through debate and discussion, our responsible dog ownership workshops encourage learners to embody important values around dog ownership such choosing the right breed or type of dog for your life style, as well as understanding that dogs are a lifelong commitment and not a disposable commodity.”

“I would welcome the opportunity to work with schools in the area and encourage them to get in touch, as pupils really do get a lot out of the workshops; as do their dogs.”

Whether children own dogs or not, it is important they learn how to interact with dogs in the correct way, learn what to do if they are scared and develop respect and compassion for dogs they know and live with. For more information about ‘Be Dog Smart’ please visit the Dogs Trusts website for more information.

To book a ‘Be Dog Smart’ workshop, please contact Jo Goodman on 07917 689 000 or email joanna.goodman@dogstrust.org.uk 

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