There are some great schemes around to help children treat dogs properly and approach them in the right way. Here's the latest from Dogs Trust:
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New Dogs Trust Education Officer brings dog safety knowledge to local schools
Does your child know how to say hello to a dog and understand about what is involved with staying safe around one of our four-legged friends? Thanks to the Dogs Trust Education Officer Alison Donald, over 3,000 school children in Shropshire now understand how to be a responsible around dogs.
Alison visits schools around the county to engage with children aged 7-11 years old and has already visited 26 schools around Shropshire and Staffordshire and carried out 75 workshops since she started in May last year.
Says Alison Donald, Dogs Trust Shrewsbury Education Officer:
“Children are the dog owners of the future and it is so important to work with them to ensure they understand what a happy healthy dog needs. From the less glamorous side of things like poop scooping to the fun elements of training and teaching a dog new skills and tricks, a dog can bring so much to everyone’s life and become a lifelong companion for any age. The children have been so receptive to the workshops and it’s really enjoyable teaching them and helping them understand more about owning a dog, fingers crossed we’ll be helping to shape some great dog owners.”
Dogs Trust has been educating the dog owners of the future for over nine years, engaging with children through interactive lessons and workshops. Whether highlighting the importance of responsible dog ownership or offering tips on how to stay safe around dogs, the sessions build children’s confidence and knowledge. For some children the visits from Dogs Trust help them overcome their fears of dogs, and dispel common myths about how intimidating they can be.
Across the UK a team of 12 Education Officers has delivered the message about responsible dog ownership to over 470,000 7-11 year olds in the last nine years.
The education workshops run throughout the school year and several holiday classes are also arranged over the seasonal breaks. To find out more information about the work of the Education Officers please visit www.learnwithdogs.co.uk.