MONCLOVA – With his dark, searching eyes, floppy ears and wagging tail, 2-year-old Labrador retriever Dunkin is magnetic as he walks through the halls or greets students getting off the bus at Monclova Primary School.
“When he’s walking, he’s working,” said Jill Bigelow, dean of students at Monclova. “We taught students a secret tail wave with their pinkies so they can say hello to him when we pass in the hall.”
Dunkin joined Monclova last month as a school facility dog, replacing Laney – who served as a therapy dog at the school from 2017 until retiring in May. The difference between a therapy dog and a facility dog is that Dunkin is trained to do more than provide a lending ear and calming presence, said Bigelow and counselor Chris Buehrer. Unlike Laney, Dunkin will always wear his vest and a leash, and he will always be with a handler when he’s at school.
“Laney was old school. As the program has evolved, we have implemented different rules. Now there are so many neat new lessons. The team is phenomenal and so creative in the way they implement them,” said Stacie Baumbarger, director of assistance dogs for The Ability Center.
Dunkin was trained by The Ability Center to do a variety of jobs at school, including playing educational games with students and assisting in the classroom. Dogs provide assistance with many skills that students are learning, including curriculum, hygiene, social and mental health, she added.
In addition to Bigelow and Buehrer, speech pathologist Michele Wilson and intervention specialist Lindsay Harrigan are trained as handlers to work with Dunkin throughout the entire building. Opportunities for maximizing Dunkin’s service in the school are limitless. He can provide a calming presence for a child having a bad morning or resisting coming to school.
“It’s a way for kids to open up. A dog can break the ice and get kids in a state of mind to be ready for school,” Buehrer said.
In addition to playing games with students, Dunkin will be in the classroom during scheduled lessons, doing “down dog” and other asanas during classroom yoga, or listen to a child reading. Visits with Dunkin are also one of the most coveted rewards for positive behavior, Bigelow said.
The Ability Center is tracking data on pre- and post-placement of dogs through the Ohio Report Card. One Toledo Public Schools building showed their tardiness rate drop after welcoming a dog, Baumbarger said.
“We’re helping schools with gap-closing for things measured on the state report card. We really want to make an impact,” she added.
Anthony Wayne Local Schools welcomed its first dog in 2008, when Sara joined Waterville Primary School. She was replaced by Teila in 2019. Since then, the district has continued adding dogs, including Luna at Whitehouse Primary in 2019, Astro at Fallen Timbers Middle School in 2021, and Lorain in the junior high in 2023. The high school is expecting to welcome a dog during this school year.
“This will be the first district to have a dog in every building,” Baumbarger said, adding that having continual exposure throughout school to the dogs and the benefits they provide can help students overcome challenges.
Some students are allergic to dogs or have a fear of dogs, so the school has some dog-free zones. Often, however, Baumbarger said she’s seen children overcome their fear by gradually becoming acclimated to dogs.
“It depends on the kid and the counselor and how they approach it. Some of it is desensitizing the child to having a dog in the room, and seeing the dog on a leash in a controlled environment shows them that they’re safe,” Baumbarger said.
Some students with allergies can still pet Dunkin as long as it’s followed up with hand-washing. Others need to keep their distance in a dog-free classroom.
Dunkin was part of a litter named after coffee shops and, after training with The Ability Center, served two stints in a prison puppy-training program before heading to Findlay City Schools. He was fostered by Anthony Wayne High School science teacher Jennifer Naujock and her family – although she didn’t know at the time that Dunkin would be placed in the district.
As Monclova prepared to welcome Dunkin, the four handlers underwent training with The Ability Center, which sends staff to the school to provide additional training for specific needs. The Monclova Area Parents (MAPS) and families all pitched in to help buy supplies for Dunkin.
As with many of the kids, the start of the school year is an exciting time for Dunkin.
“He has a ton of energy. Bottling that energy and teaching the kids how to interact with him appropriately so his energy stays contained is what we’ve been working on,” Buehrer said.
While he has plenty of energy, Dunkin is more than happy for his designated hour of naptime each day – quickly sacking out and snoring under Bigelow’s desk.
