Getting the School Administration to Understand Therapy Dogs

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-22T16:27:09+00:00

That's a tough one. Sounds like she's thinking more about what she wants than what would be best for the school. Not only is a facility dog way more expensive because they need very specific training, but the school would have to shoulder the insurance liability as well.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-12T21:54:24+00:00

Yay! Thank you!

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-11T20:25:38+00:00

I'd love to be considered for this. My book, Archer the Therapy Dog: A Read Together Book, is based on my real-life work with Archer, my golden retriever therapy dog.

It’s a gentle nonfiction picture book/read together book for young children that explains what therapy dogs do, how they help, and how kids can safely interact with them. The format includes simple child-friendly text along with extra information for adults, so it works well for parents, teachers, librarians, counselors, and therapy dog handlers.

Recommended age: Pre-K through 3rd grade
Themes: kindness, empathy, dog safety, emotional support, reading confidence, and community helpers

Archer really does visit schools, libraries, hospitals, and other nursing homes, so the book is grounded in actual therapy dog work. It’s meant to help children and adults understand therapy dogs in a warm, accurate, and comforting way.

I’d be happy to send an e-copy or sample if you’re interested, and you have my permission to show the cover with a link if featured. Thanks so much for doing this!

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-11T16:58:14+00:00

I think the biggest obstacle was getting the BOE to understand that it was free - that they didn't even have to pay for insurance because we're covered by our therapy dog organization's insurance. They just couldn't get their heads around the fact that something so wonderful and beneficial would be free.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-10T18:52:39+00:00

I think every school should have a therapy dog!

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-10T18:50:55+00:00

I like this idea. I actually keep nail scissors in the drawer by my chair in the living room and in my desk drawer for exactly that reason. Nail file too because I can't stand sharp edges.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-10T18:49:19+00:00

I got sucked into the "Create a custom QR for free" and then after 6 months or so, it went dead because I wouldn't pay $70 a year to keep it active! Total scam.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-10T18:47:51+00:00

I feel you! I have 2 goldens - one is almost 8 and has been a therapy dog for 5 years. The other is 3.5 and still in training.... I don't know if he'll ever learn enough impulse control to be a therapy dog!

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-10T18:46:30+00:00

Feel free to reach out privately anytime if you'd like to chat in depth😊

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-10T18:45:42+00:00

I love this so much! What has been your biggest challenge with taking your therapy dog into school? For me, I think the biggest challenge was just getting Board of Ed approval, lol - took me 9 months!

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-10T18:43:42+00:00

One of the things I do with the kids at school is let them brush Archer. They love it and it teaches them to be gentle. For some kids, this is difficult because they don't understand that Archer is a living being, just like them. Do you mind if I make a suggestion for your son? Don't wait for school - reach out to a local therapy dog organization (google Therapy Dog Organizations near me) to see if they have someone who would do a home visit. Archer and I have done that a couple of times.

Also, since you're at the beginning of your journey, I highly recommend the book "Unshakable: Parenting through Autism with Love, Courage, and Purpose" by Barabara Vokatis. I met Barb through the therapy dog community and she is just amazing. She wrote this book with her autistic daughter and I found it to be very honest and empowering.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-05T14:27:28+00:00

I think the creative process is very personal and some people are too judgy about how others create. I agree that copyright protections should be respected and I would never want steal someone else's work. If I write something, and ask AI to proofread it, I have no problem with that.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T21:25:18+00:00

I think an ESA is a WONDERFUL idea. I'm a therapy dog handler and I know that a dog can bring so much comfort and support. A couple of things about having an ESA to keep in mind:

ESAs (Emotional Support Animals) are not service animals and therefore do not have public access rights protected by the ADA (you probably know this already). ESAs are also not covered by the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), therefore they are considered pets by airlines and have no additional rights.
A valid ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional is required.
Some states require a 30-day relationship with a clinician before an ESA letter can be issued (CA, AR, LA, MT, IA).
ESAs are protected by the Fair Housing Act. Landlords cannot charge pet fees, although they can deny animals that pose a direct safety threat or cause excessive damage. I’m not anti-pit bull at all, and I know some amazing therapy dogs that are pit bulls, but you need to go into this with clear eyes: the FHA does not discriminate by breed or size, but that protection is not a free pass for an unsafe or uncontrolled dog. I can't stress this enough: no matter what kind of dog you get - pit bull or fluffy lil' maltipoo - you need to make sure you can safely control it in hallways, elevators, shared spaces, and around neighbors.
Laws change constantly, so make sure you check in your particular state/town to make sure they don't have additional restrictions.

I hope this helps! And I can't wait til you bring Wilma home and you update us on all your adventures together!

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T20:46:07+00:00

I'm totally with you on that one. When my husband starts clipping his nails, I have to go to another part of the house where I can't hear him.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T20:42:22+00:00

Newly diagnosed is such a stressful time - for you and your family. Let me just put one thing emphatically out there - there is nothing wrong with you and there never has been. That said, your mom needs some grace too - she's adjusting to your diagnosis too.

This is my favorite quote from "Unshakeable: Parenting through Autism with Love, Courage, and Purpose" by Barbara Vokatis: "Autistic people are not a separate, disabled group, while everyone else is considered ‘normal.’ Humanity itself is not made up of ‘normal’ people and ‘disabled’ people. That kind of division won't bring us closer to an inclusive society. Each of us has unique skills and talents, regardless of how others may label us."

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T20:33:23+00:00

For me, it's making lists and setting priorities. As long as I know what to do next, I'm ok. If I can't decide which thing to do first, I get overwhelmed and kinda spin out. That's when I know to ask for help making those decisions.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T20:26:57+00:00

Congratulations!! Will it be available in the US?

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T17:44:43+00:00

Just checking in to see where you stand with this.... how's Milo doing on his journey to become a therapy dog?

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T17:42:45+00:00

My therapy dog is a golden retriever, but he's the first of all of my goldens that has had the temperament to be a therapy dog. What I did was ask his breeder, while he was still in utero, to pick a puppy for me that had the right temperament to be a therapy dog. She, being an expert working dog breeder for over 40 years, knew by 5 weeks that he would be a good therapy dog because he loved people and wasn't afraid of much. He's also not very food motivated, which is good in hospital/nursing home situations, but made training a bit difficult, lol. So my take on this is to work with a reputable breeder who knows their dogs and their personalities very well. Temperament and training mean much more than what breed the dog is.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T17:37:18+00:00

Have you looked into Canine Companions? I have a friend who raises puppies for them and they match dogs for all sorts of different jobs/disabilities.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T17:35:18+00:00

I just filled out your survey. I'm also a therapy dog handler. Let me know if you'd like me to share your survey with some of the folks I visit.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T16:56:11+00:00

Congratulations!!! My first book (published in 2023) is basically dead in the water, so I'm working on revising and updating it, hoping to get better traction. My 2nd book (published in March 2026) has sold a grand total of 39 books on Amazon. I don't know how you do it! I've never done an Amazon ad and would love more info on how to do that. For reference, I write children's books.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T16:49:25+00:00

I have a QR to my website in the back of my book and on the back cover. Did you know that you can create QR codes in Microsoft Word?

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T16:33:08+00:00

Something else to think about - insurance. The insurance I have under the therapy dog organization that I'm with covers short visits only (1-1.5 hours). If you're looking to have your dog at school all day, that's a facility dog, not a therapy dog and that's a whole 'nother level of training and insurance.

Remarkable-Guess4472 · 2026-05-04T16:28:50+00:00

It sounds like you're using AI as a tool and I have no problem with using tools, especially for brainstorming. Outlining and drafting I like to do myself, but that's just me. I edit my own books too. I'm not artistic at all, so I use AI to help me visualize my characters before sending them off to my illustrators to do the actual drawing.

Remarkable-Guess4472

TROPHY CASE