Cockapoo to become therapy dog at Telford school

Pippin, a nine-month-old cockapoo, will support pupils at Short Wood Primary School

A nine-month-old cockapoo is set to become a therapy dog for pupils at a Shropshire school.

The cockapoo, named Pippin, successfully completed a training programme at Short Wood Primary School in Wellington, Telford.

She will now help to support and calm pupils with emotional and social issues.

Dr Laura Saunders, deputy head teacher, said reaction from the majority of pupils at the school had been positive.

She said staff had spoken to other local schools that use therapy dogs before they had decided that Pippin, who lives with Dr Saunders, was a potential candidate to help pupils.

"Well we'd thought about it on-and-off really, for a few years, but [had] never really kind of taken the step to do it, and then Autumn term last year, we thought the time was right," she explained.

The cockapoo went on to complete three levels of a therapy dog training programme at the school, run by Shrewsbury-based service Puppy and Friends Academy, where she learnt to support children with their social skills.

"Post-Covid, we've seen a lot of emotional and social issues and Pippin has really helped with that," Dr Saunders told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"So, we have children who are perhaps reluctant to separate from care givers in the morning, she really supports with that.

"If we've got children who perhaps aren't super confident with their reading, they're happy to come and sit with Pippin and read and hopefully as she progresses, she'll just be able to get involved more and more."