In my master’s thesis, I investigated educational activities with the assistance of a dog and their contribution to students at the primary level of elementary school. The purpose of the research was to determine how the implementation of dog-assisted activities is formally regulated, what their educational goals are, and what effects can be observed among students.
In the theoretical part, I presented the relationship between humans and dogs, the importance of dogs in children’s development, animal-assisted activities and therapy, and the inclusion of dogs in the school environment. In the empirical part, I conducted qualitative research. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The research included students from Majda Vrhovnik Elementary School who attended the extracurricular activity Reading Hours with a Therapy Dog, the activity coordinator, a second-grade teacher, and two external practitioners from the association Ambasadorji nasmeha.
The results showed that dog-assisted activities are not uniformly regulated at the systemic level; however, their quality implementation requires clear organization, parental consent, the competence of the handler and dog, student safety, and care for the dog’s well-being. The goals of the activity are holistic, as they include reading, motivational, socio-emotional, motor, and educational aspects. The effects are mainly reflected in greater relaxation during reading, increased motivation to participate, improved reading confidence, adherence to rules, and a responsible attitude toward the dog. The research presents an example of good practice and shows that dog-assisted activities are not merely a pleasant addition, but can meaningfully complement educational work at the primary level of elementary school.
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