At Earlham Community Schools, we're committed to empowering innovative, adaptive, and resourceful learners—and that means supporting the whole child. After carefully analyzing student needs, we recognized an opportunity to enhance our social-emotional support systems through a therapy dog program.
Click the links at right to learn more about the benefits of a therapy dog program.
Our commitment to student well-being led us to examine patterns in student behavior and self-regulation. We observed:
An increase in student self-regulation challenges
Students who initially calmed down but experienced subsequent escalation cycles
A need for proactive, preventative interventions rather than reactive responses
Research on school-based social training demonstrates that the combination of social-emotional skill building and the presence of a therapy dog can amplify positive effects on student behavior, with benefits continuing even after interventions end (Tissen et al., 2007). When students learn to recognize emotional cues and body language—critical components of our Leader in Me self-awareness work—the calming presence of a therapy dog helps reduce feelings of insecurity and stress that often trigger behavioral escalations.
A therapy dog program aligns with our Leader in Me principles by providing students with an additional tool for developing self-awareness and self-management—two of the core competencies we cultivate in our learners. This initiative also supports our district's vision statement as we are building character, confidence and perseverance in our students.
Research indicates that therapy dog programs are most effective when they involve the entire school community (Hall et al., 2022). We're implementing our program with several key principles in mind:
Building foundational trust: Students will be introduced to our therapy dog gradually, with opportunities to build relationships that enhance their connection to our school community
Alignment of goals: Our program integrates with existing Leader in Me initiatives and counseling services rather than operating in isolation
Community support: Success requires openness and acceptance from staff, students, and families—we're committed to transparent communication about program goals and implementation
A comprehensive systematic review of animal-assisted interventions in classrooms identified significant benefits across multiple domains including social skills, emotional regulation, and behavioral improvements (Brelsford et al., 2017). Our program is designed to deliver these evidence-based outcomes:
Emotional and Mental Health Support
Provides unconditional acceptance and comfort, reducing anxiety, stress, and feelings of isolation
Assists students in regulating their emotions and behaviors during challenging moments—particularly important for preventing the escalation cycles we've observed
Promotes relaxation through positive interactions that help students access a calmer emotional state
Acts as a stress moderator, helping students interpret social situations more accurately when emotions are high (Tissen et al., 2007)
Social and Academic Growth
Facilitates peer interactions and strengthens communication skills, cooperation, and empathy—key leadership competencies in our Leader in Me framework
Builds trust and connection between students and the school community, fostering a stronger sense of belonging (Hall et al., 2022)
Improves classroom engagement, attention span, and focus during learning activities
Creates positive associations with school, leading to increased attendance and participation
Physical Stress Response
Lowers physiological stress markers including heart rate and blood pressure
Triggers endorphin release, creating natural stress relief
Provides a healthy coping mechanism students can access when needed
The benefits of our therapy dog program extend to staff members as well. Education professionals face increasing demands, and providing social-emotional tools for our team isn't optional—it's essential. Our therapy dog will offer educators the same stress-reducing benefits, contributing to a healthier, more sustainable work environment.
References:
Brelsford, V. L., Meints, K., Gee, N. R., & Pfeffer, K. (2017). Animal-Assisted Interventions in the Classroom—A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(7), 669.
Hall, S. S., MacMichael, J., Turner, A., & Mills, D. S. (2022). Therapy Dogs in Educational Settings: Guidelines and Recommendations for Implementation. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8, 615178.
Tissen, I., Hergovich, A., & Spiel, C. (2007). School-Based Social Training with and without Dogs: Evaluation of Their Effectiveness. Anthrozoös, 20(4), 365–373.