More than 11,000 school children set to benefit from free dog welfare workshops in North Wales thanks to Dogs Trust

With children returning to school this week after the summer holidays, Dogs Trust is promoting its education programme; and is encouraging schools to take advantage of beneficial dog safety and responsible dog ownership lessons for their students.

Their free dog welfare workshops, delivered as part of the Charity’s ‘Be Dog Smart’ campaign, enhance the National Curriculum and seek to provide children between the ages of 7-11 with the

knowledge and understanding they need to act responsibly and safely around dogs in their homes and those they may see out and about.

Each workshop benefits pupils by involving a pretend dog as its focus, with the aim of developing compassion and consideration for all living beings. Not only do children learn how

to behave safely around dogs, they also learn all about the commitment involved in owning a dog through a creative and interactive learning experience.

Last year, Bethan Richardson Dogs Trust’s Education and Community Officer in North Wales delivered workshops to 11,309 children, and is on track to improve on this number this year.

With the growing success of the ‘Be Dog Smart’ campaign, Dogs Trust now employs 27 education and community officers across the UK to provide workshops in their designated regions.

Bethan Richardson Education and Community Officer for Dogs Trust in North Wales, said:

“Through debate and discussion, our responsible dog ownership workshops encourage learners to embody important values around dog ownership such choosing

the right breed or type of dog for your life style, as well as understanding that dogs are a lifelong commitment and not a disposable commodity”

“I would welcome the opportunity to work with schools in the area and encourage them to get in touch, as pupils really do get a lot out of the workshops;

as do their dogs.”

Whether children own dogs or not, it is important they learn how to interact with dogs in the correct way, learn what to do if they are scared and develop respect and compassion

for dogs they know and live with.

For more information about ‘Be Dog Smart’ please visit www.bedogsmart.org.uk.

To book a ‘Be Dog Smart’ workshop, please contact Bethan Richardson on bethan.richardson@dogstrust.org.uk