HQ News
Puppies with Purpose
Putting on his uniform and making his way to school is all part of the daily routine for a particularly unique member of the Girton community. Heading off to classes and enjoying the sunshine at lunch, this four-legged individual plays a very important role within the school. Fynn (4) is an assistance dog, whose daily work enables many students to come to school, attend classes, and enjoy a whole range of other everyday activities that they would otherwise find challenging.
This beautiful golden retriever is trained by owner and staff member, Ms Ruth Forder, who works with Fynn to provide members of HQ, or ‘the cottage’ as it is affectionately known, with assistance whilst at school. These tasks can include helping calm down severely anxious students, assisting students with autism to perform daily tasks, and acting as a guide for students who struggle with spatial awareness.
Fynn’s ability to assist students with day-to-day tasks is remarkable and these highly intelligent dogs are trained to perform in a wide variety of scenarios. Fynn made his on-stage debut in the 2018 Senior School Production of “Peter Pan”, playing the role of Nanna. Whilst his performance on stage was certainly a delight for audiences, his presence enabled a year 8 student to perform. This student, who regularly works with Fynn, was appropriately trained to act as Fynn’s handler whilst on stage and, by having him there with her, allowed for her to feel comfortable enough to take part in the production.
Whilst his impact on many students is integral to their time at school, Fynn is unable to work as much as he would like to. Following several natural injuries, that he has suffered on his back leg, he is unable to work full time. So now Bella (8 months) is being trained up in the wings and will hopefully be able to provide Fynn some time off when necessary. As an assistance dog in training Bella shows great promise in the field, with projected plans to hopefully breed puppies in the future, who will possess the calming temperament and extraordinary capabilities of their parents.
Although these dogs are adorably cute, they are here for a specific purpose. Like other service professionals they are here to assist when necessary. It is important to remember that just like other service professionals, when they are wearing their uniform they are to be treated with respect, and not to be unnecessarily disturbed. They have a purpose and a job to do, and staff should have the confidence to ensure the assistance dogs are not distracted, but rather allowed to perform their duties. When the dogs are simply out playing by the cottage however, with no uniform on, staff and students are more than welcome to engage with the dogs for a cuddle and a play; a scratch behind the ears should earn you extra puppy brownie points.
