Education Dogs Strike A Pose!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

The Education Dogs recently had their very own ‘photoshoot’ at Dogs Trust. The results will be used on our brand new Education stand for when the Education Team attends events around Ireland and in our new school flyers promoting our FREE Educational Workshops in primary schools. Whoever said you should never work with animals has obviously never worked with our professional canines! Jake, Sadhbh, Cónán and Béibhinn were ready for their close-ups – with the help of a few tasty hotdogs of course! These photographs were taken by our talented South West Education Officer, Aoife de Búrca.

 

A visit to Scoil Chroí Íosa in Blarney, Co. Cork

This week South West Education Officer Aoife and her dog Brave went to visit a fantastic school called Scoil Chroí Íosa in the lovely village of Blarney in Cork. The students and staff were so kind and welcoming and Aoife and Brave really enjoyed their time in the school.

Brave was so happy in the school he didn't want to leave! This was probably because all the children were really gentle and made him feel really at home, helping to make sure he had fresh water and toys to play with.  Aoife's visit focused on Safety around dogs we know and dogs we don't know, and the children learned lots of new information about our furry friends.

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much to Scoil Chroí Íosa for sharing these photos from the school blog.  You can read their article about the visit here:

 

http://www.scins.ie/index.php/school-blog.html

One Brave Education Dog

We thought you might like to know a bit more about our new South West Education Dog Brave the Greyhound, one of the most courageous dogs to have ever stepped foot in Dogs Trust. This September Dogs Trust hired a new Education Officer called Aoife. Aoife met Brave and it was love at first sight for both of them! Brave not only got a wonderful new home but he also got a job! Now that he has completed his training Brave is going to schools with Aoife in the South West Munster area teaching the dog owners of tomorrow how to be kind, caring and responsible owners. Here is Brave’s story in his own words:

 

 

　

Brave Before:

  

I was found chained to the fence at Dogs Trust in the middle of the night. I was so frightened, scared and cold as I watched my owner drive off and leave me. My front paw was badly broken. My owner had tried to use masking tape to fix it but it only made things worse. I was in so much pain and had lots of other old injuries that had never been treated properly. 

A nice man and woman at Dogs Trust quickly untied me, wrapped me in a big cosy duvet and whisked me straight to the vets. It was lovely to have someone care for me. I’d never had that before and I nuzzled in for cuddles on the drive. The vets ran all sorts of tests on me. I have a complicated joint problem in my ankle and wrist and a few small tumours. The vet managed to straighten out my front paw, it feels better already and they operated on the tumours too. 

I am going to need a very expensive surgery to my back leg in a few weeks time, I’m nervous but I know I’m in good hands. In a few more months my bones and scars will heal and in time so will my heart. Dogs Trust will love and care for me and in time find me a new forever home and for that I am one grateful Greyhound.

Love and hearts,

Brave xxx

　

Brave After:

 

 

 

Life is going great in my new home! I’m so happy. My favourite things are sleeping, hugs and meeting new people. At first I really didn’t like going out after dark but it’s not so bad now, I feel stronger and more confident every day.

I’ve got lots of training tips from Deirdre and Fiona, the other Education Officers about visiting schools and I’m really excited to be visiting so many lovely children. Aoife and I are getting to know each other really well too and I am learning lots of things 'As Gaeilge', just like the children in the school we meet!

Sometimes I miss the staff at Dogs Trust but I’m out exploring the world and in such a nice home. I haven’t had the best start in life but things are finally looking up for me. I love going to school and teaching children how to treat dogs properly, so no more dogs have to suffer the way I did.

Love and hearts,

Brave xxx

　

A visit to Clareville Montessori in Carlow

South East Education Officer, Deirdre, went to visit the lovely Clareville Montessori in Carlow last week. She brought a bag of lots of different things that a dog needs and all the children had a wonderful time picking things out of the bag and learning how to look after dogs. The children helped put out the bed for Sadhbh and Conan and make sure they had water in their bowl.

 

Then it was time to meet the Education Dogs! The children listened carefully about how to be calm and gentle around dogs and one by one they came up to the dogs, let the dogs smell their safe hand and gave the dogs a rub. It was great fun! Some children were a little nervous of dogs but Sadhbh and Conan are so friendly that they were able to come up and say hello and everyone understood how important it is to always ask the owner before you meet a dog.

The South Eastern team really enjoyed visiting this great crèche because the staff were all so kind and welcoming.

 

Visit to Barntown NS

Last week the South East Education Team visited Barntown NS in Co. Wexford.  Deirdre and her dogs Sadhbh and Cónán spent two days delivering workshops to Junior Infants through to 6^th class.  The pupils told Deirdre all about their dogs and the different things that dogs need every day to be healthy and happy.  The children heard the story of a very special dog called Patch and how he arrived at Dogs Trust to find a lovely new home.  They also learned how to safely approach a dog once they have the owner’s permission – the children got to practice their new skills by safely meeting Sadhbh and Cónán!

 

The staff and students of Barntown NS listened very attentively to Deirdre and her dogs and the children all received certificates to show they had learned all about Responsible Dog Ownership.  Thanks to teacher Miss. Mernagh for the photographs – you can check out her award-winning educational blog at www.missmernagh.com.

Puppy Love on Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the dogs and dog owners of Ireland! Here at Dogs Trust we love each and every one of the more than 160 dogs and puppies we have in our care. We know that you all love your dogs every day of the year too! The Dogs Trust Education Team thinks the best way to show how much your dog means to you is to make these 5 Promises to your dog and any other animals in your home:

Promise 1 - Love

I promise to provide my pet with love and attention.

Promise 2 - A home

I promise to provide my pet with a suitable place to live.

Promise 3 - Safety

I promise to protect my pet, to keep her or him safe and healthy.

Promise 4 - Food and water

I promise to provide my pet with a healthy diet.

 

Promise 5 - To be themselves

I promise to provide my pet with a life that she or he will enjoy.

Meet the Education Team Part 3

Finally, meet Aoife and her Education Dog, Brave.  They are our South West Education Team and are the newest members of the Dogs Trust Education Programme.

 

Hi Aoife, tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Aoife de Burca, I’ve a degree in Photography and I’m also a fully qualified Primary School Teacher. I’ve always been a big dog lover so it’s a dream come true to work for Dogs Trust.

 

How long have you worked at Dogs Trust?

I started work with Dogs Trust in September, 2013.

 

What parts of Ireland do you visit?

I visit schools in South West Munster, mostly Cork, Limerick and Kerry.

 

Tell us about your Education Dog, Brave.

Brave is a handsome greyhound and an absolute dote. He was left tied to the railings of Dogs Trust a year ago with a badly broken leg. He was given the name Brave because even though he was in such pain and in a very frightening situation he was gentle and strong and definitely very brave!  He is ideally suited to the role of an Education Dog and he loves nothing more than visiting schools and helping teach about responsible dog ownership.

 

What workshops does the Education Programme offer?

We offer a wide range of FREE workshops covering everything children need to learn about Responsible Dog Ownership and how to look after their dogs.  We offer a Safety workshop, demoing how to safely approach a dog with its owner present or what to do if they’re scared of a dog. All our workshops are curriculum linked so for example we have a really fun maths based workshop where children work out the Cost of a Dog over a year. It’s often a lot more expensive than the children expect! We also have a great workshop called Match a Dog where children really enjoy role-playing as a Dogs Trust employee- choosing the right dog for different families who want to adopt a dog. This workshop really gets them into thinking critically and problem solving.  This year we are also introducing a brand new Dog Breeds workshop to help children realise that not every dog is exactly the same as well as a workshop about Dexter the Dog, geared towards younger children.

 

Which workshop is your favourite and why?

I love teaching the Safety workshops because it’s so important for all children to learn how to safely approach a dog in the company of an owner and in what situations they should avoid a dog; such as when they’re eating or sleeping. School children love getting to meet my Education Dog, Brave, at the end of the workshop, putting into practice what they’ve learned. It’s particularly rewarding to see a child who’s nervous of dogs overcome their fear and have the confidence to pet a big dog like Brave. Because they have learned how to do it safely and because Brave is such a gentle friendly dog, it is a really positive experience for them.

 

Is the Education Team involved at any other events at Dogs Trust?

We attend lots of different events at Dogs Trust, such a Santa visit with some children at the centre before Christmas, where we also taught workshops giving lots of tips and advice for dog owners at Christmas time. We also attend the Supporters’ Event at the centre every year, the RDS Horseshow each summer and the various other doggy events that pop up over the course of the year!

 

 

If you would like to book a workshop with Aoife you can contact her on 087 923 9221 or at aoife.deburca@dogstrust.ie.

 

If you would like to find out if Dogs Trust offers FREE Education Workshops in your area, contact education@dogstrust.ie.