Mylo's role in school

Mylo is a popular member of our St Mary's family and loves coming to school - which is evident when you see him excitedly running towards school every morning, greeting everyone as he passes.

Whilst in school Mylo is based with Ms Hampson (his owner) in her office, but the children get the opportunity to interact with him regularly. He can be seen walking around school, visiting classrooms and working 1:1 with children. On occasion he will also join the children on trips too. Mylo has a calming influence on the children and they enjoy being able to show him their work, read to him, and teach him tricks. When they're feeling upset, Mylo jumps into action and knows he needs to show them extra care. Sometimes it can be easier to confide in Mylo and the children often share their worries with him in the presence of Ms Hampson.

Whilst we are very lucky to have Mylo in school on a daily basis, we recognise that not everybody is a dog lover, and some people can be anxious around animals. We are mindful of this and encourage parents, guardians and professionals to inform us of any fears or allergies they have when they first visit school. There is a sign at the entrance of the school informing everyone that Mylo is on site. For any children who are nervous, but keen to meet Mylo, we will work 1:1 with them to introduce him slowly and build their confidence. 

Naturally, child and dog safety is of utmost importance and we have some school dog rules which the children are regularly reminded of...

   ♦ Mylo should not be fed by anyone. Some of our foods are poisonous to dogs and he also has some intolerances. 

   ♦ Childen will not be allowed to interact with Mylo if they are acting in an unsafe or dysregulated manner. However, opportunities will be

      provided once it is safe to do so.

   ♦ Children (and adults) must ALWAYS ask before stroking Mylo. Respecting personal space should be encouraged in the same way we do 

      with people and Mylo should be given the choice of whether he wants to interact. Therefore, if you have been given permission to stroke

      Mylo, please crouch down and allow him to come over to you. It can be a little overwhelming when you crowd him.

It is so important to teach children about dog safety both in and out of school and we encourage our families to reiterate these messages at home too. We are proud to work with The Dog's Trust who have previously visited school to complete whole school training and provide online resources to support with teaching children about dog safety. You can find some of their resources on the below links

    Staying safe around dogs when out and about | Dogs Trust

    Living safely with dogs | Dogs Trust

Allergies and fears

It's important that we're aware of any allergies or fears that your child may have in relation to dogs. Please be assured that Mylo is considered a hypoallergenic and non-moulting breed and therefore the risk of allergy triggers are significantly reduced. However, please do contact the school office on 01253 878445 to discuss any concerns you may have if you feel this is likely to impact your child. 

Dawn, our Education Mental Health Practitioner works in school on Thursday's and can work with fears. If you feel she may be able to support your child, please contact Ms Hampson who is our link mental health lead.

Mylo's Training

Mylo's training started at a young age.

• At 4 months old he started attending puppy socialisation group once a week to help build his confidence and get him used to different environments, sounds and smells.
• In addition to this, he started visiting school when the children were not present so that he could get used to the environment. This was slowly increased, starting with introductions to staff members at the end of the school day and finally introducing him to the children. We initially started this process during periods of lockdown when there were fewer children in school. This allowed him to become comfortable with his new environment and the different sounds and smells at a slower pace. 
• His obedience classes also started at 4 months of age. He attended these once a week, on a Sunday, and the focus was on teaching him basic commands, recall, lead walking and reinforcing positive behaviours.
• At 5 months old Mylo began his School Therapy Dog journey, again, attending classes once a week. He's been a busy puppy! School Therapy Dog Training comes in 3 parts, Bronze, Silver and Gold. During each stage he was taught various commands and tricks and is expected to demonstrate these positive behaviours during assessment stages. 
• Mylo enjoys his training as he gets to be the centre of attention and is rewarded with his favourite treats and toys.

On the 5th May 2021 Mylo was awarded his Bronze School Therapy Dog certificate and rosette. Not only this, but he also passed his bronze obedience course on the same day too! 

On the 30th June 2021 he completed his Silver School Therapy Dog Training and was awarded his certificate and rosette.

In July 2021 he completed his School Therapy Dog Training by achieving gold standard