# Need some help



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

My husband teaches second grade. We've been planning on me bringing some dogs to his class for an afternoon to do some tricks and demonstrations. I also want to make up a hand-out for the kids. Since they are only second grade reading level, I assume it will be something they can read with their parents (mainly b/c I think a lot of adults need this info too!), and maybe I'll have a dog on it so they can color it in and bring it back for a prize. I'm fine writing up some points on how to approach a strange dog, ask to pet, etc but I need some help with some points on Service Dogs. How do I convey to a second grader that you can't pet a Service Dog and you can't ask someone why they have the Service Dog? Also, I was sort of thinking it might be good to have an actual Service Dog come out. My dogs are not SDs or anything of the sort, just pets trained to do tricks and some other more working type disciplines. Would it be good to have an actual SD there? When I was a kid we always had "assemblies" where a man would come and talk to us about Service Dogs. That is where I learned not to touch them, what is polite to say, what you can/can't ask, etc.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

That's a really neat idea.
I started a http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ogs/157186-why-cant-one-pet-service-dogs.html thread a few days ago, you might find some useful stuff there... 



> How do I convey to a second grader that you can't pet a Service Dog and you can't ask someone why they have the Service Dog?


Lin posted this video in my thread, they'd find it entertaining to watch I think:




I hope the parents don't get all sue-happy and ruin it for everyone before it happens... it would be a really great learning experience for the kids


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## Hillary_Plog (Apr 3, 2011)

What a fantastic idea! I am an elementary school teacher by day, and I also work for a service dog organization training SD's. Every year I do an informational assembly where I bring in several of our SDs and the kids LOVE it! I think that's the only reason my students actually like me...I'm the "cool" dog lady!

I would contact a local service dog organization near you and ask if one of their trainers could come out and help with your presentation. Most service dog organizations are non-profit and rely on public outreach to survive...so I'm sure they will be thrilled at the opportunity. 

It would also be cool to contact your county K9 unit and ask if the officer could bring his dog and speak about police dog etiquette and what those types of dogs do. Kids go bonkers over police K9s.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would also talk about how to approach a dog, ask owner first for permission, no eye contact, sideways vs head on, general manners etc...Turid Rugaas's site would be a good place to start. 
I think all children should have this information and 2nd grade is a great time to introduce it. It may bring down bite statistics if they knew better!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Jax's Mom said:


> I hope the parents don't get all sue-happy and ruin it for everyone before it happens... it would be a really great learning experience for the kids


DH says it won't be a problem. He's had students bring in their own dogs (for show and tell or something like that?) and they sounded a lot more out of control than mine. They will have the chance to pet Coke (to practice asking the owner and petting the dog correctly). Nikon has been working on a slew of tricks (some really silly stuff like popping his head between my legs and heeling between my legs, weaving in and out of my legs as I walk, putting his front paws up on a brick and spinning his rear around in circles) and then will probably do something like having them lay "articles" down so he can find and indicate or picking a kid to lay a short track. We'll be doing this outside so we're waiting for a warm day (still in the 40s here!). We probably won't do any sort of protection work, not sure what purpose it would serve.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Also I'll have to keep whatever we explain/say to the kids fairly simple. I don't really like talking to kids so I want DH to do the talking since he's the teacher, and I will handle the dogs so it will have to be a simple program for him. The more I think about it, the more I think I want to have a handout on how to pet a strange dog and another on Service Dogs that they take home and read with their parents so the parents are getting the information as well.


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## Guardyan (Aug 29, 2005)

Here is a link to a coloring book from AKC that might be fun for the kids. It's a pdf, so it loads pretty slowly.

http://www.akc.org/pdfs/public_education/coloring_book.pdf

Not sure if the kids are old enough for this, but I think it would be fun if you showed them how to teach _their_ dogs a lure type trick (e.g. spin). Can't get the little dog trainers started out too early!


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

You may also want to point out to them that just because THEY have a dog doesn't mean they know how to approach strange dogs. It's a good idea to have each kid practice so you can point out to them if it's not the right way. 
I'd also ask them: 
Does anyone know the *reasons* dogs bite?
Who knows what a dog about to bite looks like?
Do dogs always bark if they're about to bite?
Is it only mean dogs that bite?
What do you do if you find a lost dog?

...I also like to point out to kids that it's ok to ask an adult to put their dog on a leash


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## Guardyan (Aug 29, 2005)

Here is a link to some bite prevention resources:

Doggone Safe - Free Downloads

I wish all kids had some exposure to dog bite prevention info. I'm teaching a class right now and so many kids will run right up to x-pens, etc. Yikes!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I don't want to scare them with too much bite stuff. I guess for me, the angle is more showing respect and common sense. I wouldn't run up and hug *any* dog even if it was one I knew would not bite me. Even my closest dog friends, I ask if I can touch their dog, play tug with it, etc. I want them to know the correct way to behave around strange dogs and service dogs because it's the right thing to do, not just to avoid being bit, if that makes sense?


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## Hillary_Plog (Apr 3, 2011)

Here is a link to Delta Society's Service Dog Etiquette handout...it's pretty basic and is an easily worded/readable document. I'm sure you could copy/paste into a word document and spice it up with pictures if you wanted to.

http://www.deltasociety.org/Document.Doc?id=231

If you have a SD organization come out...they most likely have their own printed materials for distribution that you could give the kids.


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## CassandGunnar (Jan 3, 2011)

Liesje said:


> I don't want to scare them with too much bite stuff. I guess for me, the angle is more showing respect and common sense. I wouldn't run up and hug *any* dog even if it was one I knew would not bite me. Even my closest dog friends, I ask if I can touch their dog, play tug with it, etc. I want them to know the correct way to behave around strange dogs and service dogs because it's the right thing to do, not just to avoid being bit, if that makes sense?


I think at that age, teaching them the proper way to ask and to approach a strange dog is perfect and very needed information. The handouts to share with parents is an excellent idea.
We've all had our share of encounters with people of all ages that just don't know how to interact with unfamiliar dogs.
If you can get to them early enough, I think you can make a life long impression.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Talk to Jean! I think she did something for a presentation for children last year.


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## Guardyan (Aug 29, 2005)

> I don't want to scare them with too much bite stuff. I guess for me, the angle is more showing respect and common sense.


Maybe you could talk the teacher into sharing some bite prevention info during dog bite prevention week. I think it's really important for kids to learn to be safe around dogs, but I can understand you wanting to focus more on the service dog aspects this time around.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

It sounds like what you are looking for is more on humane vrs. dog bite type class and also basic good child manners when meeting a working dog. 

One opening could be with examples. Some good example with children are: 
Would you want a stranger to come up to you and pull off your glasses to look at them?
Would you want a stranger to come up to you and look into your mouth and touch your braces?
If you were in a wheelchair would you want a stranger to come up to you and start pushing you around without permission?
The correct answer is of course not. 

Then follow up with a short summary and explanation such as:
All of the above are types of medical equipment and help a person just like a service dog helps some people with their needs. A service dog is a loved companion and medical equipment all rolled into one wonderful dog.


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## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

How nice that your school district allows these types of programs! The district I live in is very anti-dog: no dogs on school property, at all, ever, for any reason. There are huge signs posted on all gates, fences, and school buildings advising of the fines and penalties if you bring a dog onto the property. Of course, this is only an extension of the City I live in: there is one small, fenced dog park which citizens can pay an annual fee to join, all other public parks and common grounds are no dogs allowed. I'm sure service dogs protected under the law are a different story, but for the rest of us: our dogs are not welcome in public. Very sad.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

LeeAnn, it's a small private school out in farmland, so they aren't really governed by any "districts". I doubt dogs are allowed (dogs aren't really allowed anywhere around here besides pet stores, the one dog park, and on the college campus where I work they are allowed if leashed but not indoors), but a one hour planned visit isn't going to be a problem. We were just going to bring the dogs for a few hours but decided we might as well do something useful and give it an "educational" twist. Sounds like your area of MI is just like ours! It sucks.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

I think having an SD in there would be a great idea. Or if you know a cop--I remember a police dog coming to my elemantary shchool and thought it was the coolest thing ever!

You could also talk a little bit about SAR dogs. I know when we do our public awareness stuff for my team, the dogs are a huge hit to know if they are lost and scared a doggy might come find them...


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Check this out --
Dog Safety Dogs for Defense K-9

That's the presentation I created when I went to the local Catholic school to teach a dog safety program there. I had coloring pages for the kids and then used them along with teaching the individual steps. 

You can download the individual coloring pages here ->
Dogs for Defense K-9

Or the Do's and Don't's (3 to a page) here ->
Dogs for Defense K-9


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

I am a puppy raiser for a service dog organization and I brought in 2 of the dogs I raised. 

When I spoked to the kids I explained to them these things.

What a service dog is and how they can help people and that all disabilities are not always easy to see there are some disabilities that are invisible like someone with a dog could be deaf. When I talk to them I use disabilities that they heard of many kids can relate to autism dogs. I take a couple different types of dogs example: autism dogs and how they are used and how they can help a child/adult who has autism. Like they are trained to distract the person nuzzle, kiss, paw etc...

When you see a service dog what are you supposed to do? I actually ask that question to the kids because they love to answer questions. You can then listen to them and give them more to their answer or correct their answer.

Why don't you pet a service dog? They all understand this. I said what if you were taking a math test and someone started to poke you or talk to you would that distract you? Of course they say yes. I tell them that is exactly what happens to a service dog. It is polite to ask to pet and if someone says no don't be upset because they may be asking the dog to do a task (like pick something up for them like their keys) and if you pet them they won't do their task just like if you got distracted during your math test you might not do as well. 

I then had my puppy in training do some fun things and if it is a pet dog they can still show people what dogs can do sit, touch, stand, down, they love roll over the kids just giggle.

Make it simple I can assure you that they are just so excited that you are there and the more complicated you make it the more stressed you will be. 

After the presentation I then asked them to all stay seated and I would bring the dog around to pet. The first time I brought in the 1st dog they all charged up to him and he laid down and kissed them but the 2nd time around I learned it was better to walk him around then he could say hi to everyone and he wasn't hogged by certain kids. 

Good luck whatever you do they will love it!


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