Meet Bear and Nellie, our School Dogs

Harris Academy Ockendon are proud to introduce you to our school dogs. 

This is Bear.

He is a ‘Golden Doodle’, a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle.  At around 43kg he is a gentle giant, a huge bundle of licks and love.

 

 

 

This is Nellie.

Nellie is a Cairn Terrier, a breed originally from the Scottish Highlands.  Weighing in at approximately 8kg, she is much smaller than Bear, but equally gentle and calm.

 

 

 

Repeated studies show that school dogs can have an enormously positive impact on a school.  Bear and Nellie have been prioritised to the Senior Leadership Team, SEN department and Pastoral Team who use them to work with some of our more vulnerable students.  Children experiencing emotional trauma or struggling to cope with autism or other learning issues often find the company of a dog to be transformative.  Bear and Nelliw are often taken for short walks by students and read to by reluctant readers; they listen patiently in therapy sessions and help to de-escalate anxious students.

We have of course completed a risk assessment to make sure their presence is a safe one – measures are in place such as hand washing and an adult will always be present.  Both Bear and Nellie are described as ‘hypo-allergenic’ which reduces the risk of allergic reactions considerably.  However, we do take appropriate measures to ensure that anyone with an allergy is kept away from them.

Similarly, if a child has a genuine dog phobia, we either make sure they have no contact, or we try to help by using our counsellor and Bear and Nellie to overcome this anxiety. 

Bear and Nellie have made many new friends since joining the academy and are always looking forward to making new ones.