Community & Business
16 November, 2021
Bernie brings happiness to learning
HE might be just 12 weeks’ old, but Bernie has certainly already made his mark as a therapy dog for Mount St Bernard College at Herberton.
The cute labradoodle is the perfect medicine for students and staff and feels quite at home on the school grounds which he shares with 180 students, 120 of whom are boarders.
Deputy Principal Scott Whitters and his partner Leah Whiting are the official “parents” of Bernie who lives onsite with the couple who are both part of the college’s wellbeing program.
“We did a lot of research on the benefits of therapy dogs and looked at what other schools and institutions were doing, and we then researched what would be the best breed which had the right temperament,” Scott said.
Now considered a staff member with his own badge and part of the college’s wellbeing team, Bernie has been conditioned to not be affected by things like loud noises and doesn’t flinch even when surrounded by large groups of students.
“We make sure that he is exposed to lots of people, we take him to the markets on the weekend and things like that to ensure he is well adjusted to noise and lots of people being around,” Scott said.
Scott says the benefits of having Bernie around are numerous including relieving stress and bringing laughter to the school environment.
“We have a lot of boarders here from remote areas that obviously are not with their family and they may have a dog at home that they miss as well so it helps to have Bernie to greet them and play with,” he said.
“Other students may have had experienced trauma, learning difficulties or be suffering from grief or loss and to have that tactile response from an animal that gives you unconditional love is just what’s needed.
“It is well documented that the effective use of dogs in school can significantly lower anxiety levels in students aged 13-18. Dogs can positively influence the mood of students and trigger the release of cortisol in their brains which allows them to move from a negative headspace to a more positive one.”
Scott and Lea also conduct dog education sessions every Monday morning to provide kids with a better understanding on how to care for them and interact with them.
