Making Comfort Dogs An Everyday Part Of School

Okay, if you have a fur baby in your life, how fun would it be if you could bring him/her to work?

Probably not going to happen at most places of work, but more and more, dogs are becoming a part of hospitals, nursing homes, courthouses, colleges, and universities.

Mindshift.com reports on some research done at the Yale Innovative Interactions Lab, where dogs win out

There is something distinctive about dogs that makes them so companionable... Dogs make eye contact, for example.  And according to Yale researcher Molly Crossman, who studies how humans interact with dogs, “there is encouraging, preliminary evidence that dogs might reduce stress.”

Now there are of course issues such as dog allergies but.

A new program started in New York City that incorporates dogs in ordinary classrooms may be challenging the no-dogs rule, The Comfort Dog Pilot Program,

Now some 42 varied elementary, middle and high schools are involved in New York City Area,

Chancellor of City Schools Carmen Fariña gave the go-ahead for the idea when a fifth-grade boy from Queens made the suggestion. In addition to offering ordinary comfort, some of the dogs are deployed in teachers’ lesson plans to encourage empathy, cooperation and decision-making as part of the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum.

Time to practice your best belly rub techniques!