Teacher's Pet Gatsby The Dachshund Starts At Tickenham Primary School

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-38104021

This is the cutest little thing I have seen for ages !

AAAAAAH !

[Tilly2]

It is cute but it is also too much of a distraction in a classroom.

[Jackdaw33]

Quite. Too many folk are easily pleased with simple things.

How is a puppy supposed to teach 'core values', whatever they are?

[mikey4444]

What difference does it make ? He is hardly going to be here for the next 10 years !

[Tilly2]

Who, Mikey? The teacher or the dog?

[anthro-nerd]

Love this, dogs teach you so much! Responsibility, patience, respect and love. I think this is a great idea - it could even teach these children how to share and play together. Agreed little Gatsby could be a bit of a distraction, but I'm sure they've thought of that already. Some lovely news for change :-)

[mikey4444]

anthro-nerd....I couldn't agree more ! I keep a look-out for these Good News animal stories, and like to share them on here when I do.

[Tilly2]

I agree that a dog can teach the children many things but having an eight week old puppy in a classroom is just too much. The report should have elaborated a little more as to what arrangements they have made for the puppy to be put somewhere quiet and peaceful.

[grumpy01]

This item was featured on Points West on Friday night.The idea is that Gatsby will eventually be used as a literacy dog i.e. for children to read to rather than to an adult.I am told by a lady I know,whose Labrador provides the same function,that it is a very successful way of getting nervous/shy children to read.

[Baldric]

I suppose it's one way to discover which Children have Pet Allergies at an early age.
///In the UK, pets are the second most important cause of allergy in the home with 50% of asthmatic children sensitised to the allergens of cats and 40% to dog allergen. There can also be reactivity to rabbits, hamsters and other furry domestic pets in these children///
https://www.allergyuk.org/allergy-to-domestic-pets/allergy-to-domestic-pets
And agree with Tilly (0913) about care of the Puppy.

[hereIam]

Totally agree with anthro-nerd. Would have loved this when I was at school !

[Mamyalynne]

It's a great idea, it is proven that pets can have a calming effect on even children with problems and encourages them to care about others too.