Can a dog in the classroom make learning easier?

Dear Sarina,

thank you very much for your question. Dog-assisted education has been attracting growing interest in recent years. There are, in fact, a number of studies that address this topic. However, these are usually carried out with relatively small numbers of school classes or children, which is why the findings can only be generalised to a limited extent. Nevertheless, they can provide interesting insights for practical application.

The studies show that a trained dog has positive effects on three levels: physiological, socio-emotional and academic performance (Beetz, 2012).

Physiological effects

At the physiological level, a dog in the classroom can help reduce stress. In the study in question, the stress hormone cortisol and the bonding hormone oxytocin were examined, and it was found that, for example, stroking the dog (i.e. physical contact) leads to a reduction in the stress hormone and an increase in the bonding hormone oxytocin (Beetz, Julius, Turner & Kortschal, 2012). This means that the children’s perception of stress decreases. At the same time, their sense of happiness or feeling of pleasant closeness increases (oxytocin is also released when parents hold their babies in their arms).

Socio-emotional effects

At a socio-emotional level, it has been shown that a dog can have a positive effect on class cohesion (Kotrschal & Ortbauer, 2003).

Effects on performance

In terms of performance, studies have focused primarily on reading promotion. There is also a meta-analysis on this topic – that is, a study which summarises the findings of many other studies. This meta-analysis demonstrated that a dog has a positive influence on the development of reading performance during a reading support programme (Reilly, Adesope & Erman, 2020). In this programme, the children were able to read aloud to the dog, for example. They often found this less stressful and less anxiety-inducing (a dog does not judge). This meant that even anxious children had the opportunity to practise reading aloud and improve their skills. The dog’s presence also improved the children’s attitude towards reading: they found reading with a dog cooler than reading without one. Furthermore, children enjoy spending time with the dog, which provides them with additional motivation for their reading exercises (reward aspect).

The field of research into dog-assisted education is very broad. For further reading, I can recommend this book chapter – it focuses on reading support but also summarises general aspects well:

Heyer, Meike & Beetz, Andrea M. 2014. “Fundamentals and Effects of Dog-Assisted Reading Promotion”. Empirical Special Education 6

I hope this answer is helpful.

Kind regards,

Katharina Antognini

References

• Beetz, A. 2012. Dogs in Everyday School Life: Principles and Practice. Munich.
• Beetz, A., Julius, H., Turner, D., & Kotrschal, K. 2012. ‘Effects of social support by a dog on stress modulation in male children with insecure attachment’. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 31093.
• Kotrschal, K., & Ortbauer, B. 2003. “Behavioural effects of the presence of a dog in a classroom”. Anthrozoös 16.
• Reilly, K. M., Adesope, O. O., & Erdman, P. 2020. “The Effects of Dogs on Learning: A Meta-Analysis”. Anthrozoös 33(3)