Meet Minnie: SFX school support dog

For the past few weeks, SFX has been receiving visits from Minnie, a Border Collie/Poodle cross who we are introducing as our school support dog.

Minnie is the family pet of Mr Mullin, Assistant Principal Student Wellbeing, who purchased her with the intention that she would take on this role when she was old enough and ready for the stimulation that the school environment brings. He selected this breed for their intelligence and easy-to-care-for coat, which is generally allergy friendly.

Minnie will be two years old in September, meaning she is still a puppy, so we are introducing her to the school slowly. For her own wellbeing, Minnie will come to school a maximum of three days per week, and for now, we are introducing her with half days while she gets used to the crowds and noise.

Support dogs have become popular in schools over the past few years, as schools have sought ways to address increased anxiety and other mental health concerns. The benefits of having dogs in schools have been well established, as their presence has been proven to improve the mood of students and teachers, as well as being a tool to teach social skills, empathy, and interpersonal skills.

A support dog is not specifically trained to work with young people, rather, they simply come to schools for company and to spend time with the students and staff. Minnie has received basic obedience training, but she has not passed through the more arduous training that is required of an assistance dog.

We look forward to seeing more of Minnie as she spends time at SFX.