Dogs and their positive effect on us

It goes without saying that a school and visiting dog must be a well-behaved and well-balanced animal that does not lose its patience even in hectic and noisy situations. Nowadays, private individuals, tutors, teachers and other trained persons with dogs of many breeds and crossbreeds can be found in training facilities and businesses. The number of training dogs is constantly increasing because dogs have a positive effect on us humans.

Here we meet François, our therapy dog. 

François is a cross between an Australian Shepherd and a Bernese Mountain Dog. Both breeds are herding dogs and were, and still are, used to herd livestock. In this case, however, the focus is on herding the respective training group, which is also practised to the full.

Both breeds - Australian Shepherd and Bernese Mountain Dog - are highly intelligent and extremely sweet, reliable and attentive. François has the positive characteristics of both breeds, as well as the qualities mentioned above.

Since she was 8 weeks old, she has been a constant companion and caring assistant in my lessons – and, of course, she came and still comes to her mother every day. Unfortunately, as her father passed away a few years ago, she can no longer see him.

François knows how to charm people with a glance, and she knows exactly how to make them feel at ease and take away their fears. At the same time, she knows very well that she has to be patient during a lesson until it is time to go out into the fresh air again.

But she enjoys the cheerful faces that come her way, because her patience is fabulous and her irritation threshold is impossible to reach. She is gentle and takes very good care of her participants.

What can be atteined:

• Social barriers are unknown to dogs, which means that dogs approach people in a friendly and unconditional manner, helping them to relax.
• Just having a dog around can help people chill out and feel good.
• The dog listens calmly and impartially to your voices and lets itself be cuddled.
• The dog creates an atmosphere conducive to learning because it achieves a completely new level of attention.
• Not to mention the feel-good factor of being in the presence of a loving dog.

Since many people are unfortunately unable to keep their own dog, there are visiting or therapy dogs. This allows these people to experience the positive effects of a dog too.

Here we get to François again. 

Whenever we are not “teaching” together, we are either out in the countryside or visiting elderly people in their homes and/or residential care homes.