Eyewitness News12 visits an Ohio classroom to bring you this encouraging report of students and dogs growing together, and if you question the wisdom of bringing so-called “vicious” breeds into the classroom, this should serve as an eye-opener.
A former bait dog is acting as an ambassador for her breed while helping autistic students to learn. Gremlin got off to a very tough start in life. Owner Chris Hughes says: “Both of Gremlin’s back legs were broken. Gremlin can’t make any noise. They ruptured her vocal chords. As a bait dog, they don’t want them making much noise, so they rupture their vocal chords.”
Despite her troubled past, Gremlin is as calm and kind as any dog you’ll meet. As a certified therapy dog, she visits students to sit by their side quietly while they practice reading. The companionship (without judgment) builds confidence and improves comprehension. In other words, it’s a terrific fit.
Middlefield teacher Janet Sapp sums up her take on the results of using therapy dogs with students in one sentence: “…we wish we could have a dog in a classroom all the time.”
