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Making kids smile

My pets are helpful hounds


Published by: Jessica Gibb
Published on: 5 January 2012

As Frank and Roxy bounded into the classroom wearing party hats, the children leaned forward warily to see them. But as my gorgeous dogs wagged their tails and sat down obediently, the worried faces turned into grins.
‘I want to touch them!' one little boy begged.
‘Me, me!' another said.
Me and my husband Scott, 33, had adopted Frank, a six-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, and Roxy, a five-year-old English bull terrier, from Battersea Dogs Home when they were puppies.
Although I adored my job as a teaching assistant at Beacon Hill School in South Ockendon, I'd missed my dogs. As I'd worked with the children, who are aged three to 19 and have learning difficulties, or conditions like cerebral palsy and Down's syndrome, I'd had an idea...
I'd started taking the dogs in to visit the children. In August, I'd told Full House!
Children with cerebral palsy can have severe muscle spasms but, as they stroked the dogs, their hands slowly relaxed. Youngsters with other conditions seemed to be helped, too.
‘I bet Roxy could cure other kids of their worries about dogs,' I said to Scott.
So I contacted the Essex Dog Training Centre in Brentwood and found out that they ran a free 10-week course for children who had cynophobia, a fear of dogs.
The first time Roxy took part, I saw the children's eyes grow wide with fear. But after only four weeks, they were walking her!
Frank practised his agility at the training centre. This year, he had the honour of performing with the Battersea Dogs Home agility team at the Discover Dogs show -
and got headhunted to run with the Staffordshire bull terrier team!
When it came to organising the Christmas fair at school, I knew I had to do something special.
Yet, when I walked into the school hall in a bright green and red elf costume, no one batted an eyelid - they were too busy looking at the dogs, who were dressed as reindeers.
I know my dogs will be creating many more smiles in 2012!
Rachel Mailley, 33, South Ockendon, Essex