School districts across Iowa are discovering the benefits of having certified facility dogs on campus as a way to enhance student well-being.
Sam Doll, a counselor at Oskaloosa Elementary School, is training to be the handler for David, a yellow lab that will arrive at the southeast Iowa school this spring. Doll says facility dogs have an exceptionally positive impact in educational settings.
“There’s a lot of evidence that shows it helps to improve attendance, boosts self-esteem, decreases learner anxiety,” Doll says, “all kinds of really awesome benefits.” Facility dogs are extensively trained at the same level as a service dog, she says.
David visited Oskaloosa Elementary this week with his handlers from the Wyoming-based “K9s 4 Mobility” to familiarize himself with the building and to meet the staff and some of the nearly-one-thousand students. He’s now back in Wyoming.
Sam Doll with David (Oskaloosa Schools photo)
“He’s going to be working in a school there, completing his training three to four days a week, and then he’ll be coming back — April 21st will be his first day back here,” Doll says. “They’ll be bringing a trainer to come and train me on how to do all of his commands and his obedience and all those things, so I will be trained for two weeks as a handler.”
It costs around $25,000 per dog in this program, which is being offset by a local corporate sponsor, and the school district, while Doll will help pay for David’s food, vet bills and other incidentals. She says she’s thrilled to bring the dog into her home and family — and to the school.
“He already is very well loved. I’ve been getting fan mail from students, and so it’s just been really fun,” Doll says. “He will be greeting students in the morning. I have plans for him to help support my individual counseling that I do with students, as well as small groups. And he’ll also be visiting classrooms and be a big part of my classrooms that I teach, as far as guidance curriculum.” Doll envisions initiatives like “Dining with David” and reading programs where students read to the dog to reduce anxiety.
Facility dogs are trained to provide skill tasks that help kids to feel empowered, include retrieving items, opening and closing drawers, doors, or cabinets, and modeling appropriate behaviors. Doll says seeing a dog at school can normalize an otherwise intimidating experience for kids. She says David will help students with behavior challenges and boost morale for staff.
Dogs are naturally comforting, Doll says, and the benefits are widespread.
“There’s quite a few school districts across the state of Iowa that have facility dogs or therapy dogs,” she says. “There is a difference between the two, but a lot of districts are bringing them on board, and it’s really amazing to see.”
David will live with Doll and accompany her to school daily, except Wednesdays, which are his designated day off. To address potential challenges, like allergies, the school is implementing proactive measures, including air filtration systems.