How Australian Schools Are Using Dogs to Improve Student Mental Health and Social Skills

Some forward-thinking Australian schools are using pets as a tool to enhance student mental health, reduce stress, and improve social skills. Programs involving therapy dogs, wellbeing animals, and even classroom pets are being implemented across the country to support students’ emotional and psychological well-being.

The PAWS Whole School Visitation Program is an initiative where trained therapy dogs visit classrooms with an educator. This program provides students with access to sensory toys, games, and puzzles, allowing them to interact with the therapy dog in a safe and engaging environment. These interactions help students feel more at ease and ready to engage with learning tasks and new challenges.

Other organisations with initiatives designed to support students’ mental health and emotional engagement in a structured and safe manner include Lead The Way and Guide Dogs Victoria, which bring therapy and wellbeing dogs into classrooms. These programs offer a range of options, including interactions with certified therapy dogs and, in some cases, support from mental health professionals. Some programs also provide training and certification for school-owned wellbeing dogs.

The Dogs Connect Program is another initiative that integrates wellbeing dogs into schools, using the human-animal bond to enhance connectedness and promote positive mental health. This program provides online training for school staff to help them introduce and manage wellbeing dogs in a sustainable way.

The emotional and social impacts of these interactions can be significant, especially for students who may struggle with anxiety, social skills, or emotional regulation. Research has also shown that students who interact with pets regularly tend to develop stronger social and emotional skills, which can have a lasting impact on their academic performance and overall well-being. For example, a large-scale study across 41 classrooms in 15 Australian schools found that 20-minute animal interactions improved social functioning and school attendance for students on the autism spectrum.

By incorporating pets into the school environment, Australian schools are not only supporting students’ mental health but also creating a more inclusive and connected learning environment. These programs highlight the growing recognition of the therapeutic benefits of the human-animal bond in education.

Do you think your child’s school could benefit from having a classroom pet or therapy dog? Share your thoughts or experiences with pets in education.