As promised in our
last post, Jake and Meg are here this week answering the questions people asked
on Facebook, and here on the Blog, about their lives as Education Dogs. We’ve
also asked them to answer some of the most common questions that come up in
schools when they visit.
Hi
Jake and Meg! What's your favourite part of the job as Education Dogs?
J: Well, my favourite
part would have to be getting so much attention. Every time I’m in schools I
get lots of rubs, after the little humans ask my Fiona of course. I really
am a very good boy and I know to just lie down on my bed and let the rubs
commence! I have been known to nod off and snore when I’m in classrooms, but it’s
tiring being so popular.
M: I don’t knows what my
favouritest part is! I gets to ride in the car with my human all days, I get
treats for beings good, AND I get to meets lots and lots of new peoples! Jake
tells me I’ll gets used to all the excitements but I can’t stop waggings my
tail every morning when my Fiona tells me it’s times for school!
Do you have to be a specific breed of dog to be an
education dog? Is there a special breed that trains easier etc?
M: I'm a Jack Russell Terrier and Jake is a Boxer. There's also Miniature Schnauzers and a lovely Rottie cross on the team
who are havings a break. Jake says that we’ves also hads a Greyhound in the
team too! That’s lots of different dog breeds. Some peoples thinks that some breeds of dogs are just bad, but all dogs can be lovelies when they have a lovely homes.
J: As Meg said, we’ve
had lots of different breeds in the Education Team, and we’re all very well
trained for our job. I think I’m the smartest of course, though the others
might not agree but as top dog I’m the boss. Fiona says it’s all about our
temperament, and being positive when we’re being trained. When I get something
right I get a nice treat or rubs, which of course I deserve. She doesn’t tell me off if
I don’t understand what she wants me to do, sometimes she forgets how to speak
dog!
In
your education school visits, what do you cover with the children? Do you visit
primary schools only?
J: We cover lots of interesting
things about being a Responsible Dog Owner in schools, like what us dogs need
to stay healthy and happy, how much we cost to look after over our lives (we’re
worth it though!), tips to keep safe around us, and lots of other things that
will help the little humans be great dog parents when they grow up. They are so
good in schools, lots of them know about looking after dogs and they ask Fiona
lots of questions if they don’t know something. We visit lots of primary
schools, although they sometimes take a holiday and when they do we go to
libraries and other groups of little people.
Are education dogs classed as working dogs such as greyhounds? or not?
M: I works, so I must be a
working dog right? I’m a pet firsts though Fiona says. I wasn’t mades just for
workings likes some dogs. Sometimes I think it's silly to say I'm going to work for the day, because I gets so much attention and treats, I just loves it! Lucky me. Dogs like greyhounds that have been mades for working can also be pets too, and all dogs deserves a nice homes like mine.
Can dogs look up? Do you only see in black and white?
J: Of course we can look up,
especially if there’s a treat involved. Or some noisy birds in the sky. Maybe
we can’t do it as well as you humans but we can do it.
M: I sees colours! Humans say us
dogs is colourblinds, but that only means that we can’t sees all the same
colours that you cans. We can’t sees these colours you calls reds and greens,
if they even exists! Some humans are colourblinds too so they know what we
means. We can smell lots more things that peoples though, so maybe we should
call humans smellblinds.
How old are you both?
J: I'm 5 and Meg is
almost 3. We both have been very lucky to have been in our fur-ever homes since
we were puppies.
What tricks can you do?
M: I’m a clever girls. I
can sit, stay and give the paw. I get nice treats and rubs if I do these when
the humans ask so I loves that. They are tryings to teach me this ‘roll-over’
things, which means even more attentions and nice things!
J: Well, being the smart
chap that I am, I can do a lot of these ‘trick’ things. I can give high fives,
speak, whisper, play dead, sit, and stay. I even know that I only go to the
toilet in ‘Jakes Corner’ in the garden. The humans think they taught me these
things, but I taught them to give me lots of attention and the odd treat when I
do them. Who’s the smart one now!
Why does Jake have a short tail? And why is Meg’s
long?
M: Why wouldn’ts I have
a long tail? That’s what I was borns with! I love wagging it and hitting the
humans on the legs with it when I stands next to them.
J: My tail is short as
it was docked when I was a puppy. People used to shorten dog’s tails because
they thought it looked better. They’re not allowed to do that anymore. I don’t
mind having a short tail now, but I do sometimes dream of having a longer one.
I’m glad that all dogs can keep their long tails. Just because I have a short
tail doesn’t mean I can’t wag it as much though!
And the most popular question children ask ‘Can I pet
your dog please?’.
J: We both love being
petted, but people should always remember to ask the owner first. The little
humans we meet in schools always ask before they pet us.
M: Thanks for all the questions peoples, we hopes you enjoyed our dogs blog. Now it's naps times :).
