Canine Assisted Learning

Canine Assisted Learning Providing professional Canine Assisted Interventions and School Dog Training Programmes to schools

The Canine Assisted Wellbeing Group (CAWG) is dedicated to improving mental health and emotional wellbeing through professional canine support. We provide specialist interventions and support to children and adults across workplaces, schools, colleges, universities, mental health hospitals and care homes. We offer a confidential and supportive environment with our team of experienced consultants a

nd specially trained dogs. Typically these can be one-to-one emotional regulation or talking therapy sessions in a range of areas such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, coping with change, trauma, self-regulation and bereavement. They can also be, however, just taking time out from a busy day to help relieve daily stresses and to stop and pause for a few moments in safe and calm surroundings. Our heritage brand – Canine Assisted Learning – lies in working with children of all ages and we are at the forefront of academic and therapeutic interventions in schools supporting learning and emotional regulation. We have worked with many children and schools across the UK over the past five years, supporting their emotional wellbeing with a focus on positive mental health. In 2019, we launched our services in the workplace to offer canine assisted intervention sessions to employees in businesses. It is well documented how our mental health can suffer – often in silence – in the workplace and the impact it can have on productivity, motivation and attitude. We are now successfully working with a number of businesses offering regular one-to-one sessions for employees to encourage them to focus on their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Our specialist interventions have attained outstanding results in all areas of work. We pride ourselves on the professional delivery and quality of service we offer. And we continue to champion with passion the work we do in the field of mental health and emotional wellbeing.

🐾 Quiz Time! 🐶Which of these is safer when meeting a dog you don’t know?A) Run up and hug themB) Stand still and let the...
02/10/2025

🐾 Quiz Time! 🐶
Which of these is safer when meeting a dog you don’t know?

A) Run up and hug them
B) Stand still and let the dog approach
C) Reach over their head

👇 Drop your answer in the comments — we’ll share the correct one (and why) tomorrow!

🐶💚 Meet Dudley & Little Dudley! 💚🐶At Cricket Green, Dudley (and his mini sidekick!) help our youngsters learn what it re...
29/09/2025

🐶💚 Meet Dudley & Little Dudley! 💚🐶

At Cricket Green, Dudley (and his mini sidekick!) help our youngsters learn what it really means to be around dogs — showing kindness, nurture, patience, and respect.

Through gentle interactions and fun activities, the children discover how small acts of care can make a big difference — not just to dogs, but to each other too. ✨

Because every wagging tail comes with a lesson in love. 🐾💞

Today is National Teaching Assistants’ Day 🎉We’d like to recognise the incredible work that TAs do in supporting student...
26/09/2025

Today is National Teaching Assistants’ Day 🎉

We’d like to recognise the incredible work that TAs do in supporting students every day. From one-to-one encouragement to helping create inclusive classrooms, their dedication makes a huge difference.

At CAL, our school dogs love working alongside TAs — together we provide calm, supportive spaces where children can truly thrive. 🐾💛



Instagram:
A big shoutout to all the amazing TAs out there 👏💛
Your support, encouragement, and dedication make classrooms better places every day — and our CAL dogs love working alongside you 🐾✨

🧠✨ This week is Behaviour Awareness Week — a chance to shine a spotlight on behaviour, wellbeing, and the support every ...
22/09/2025

🧠✨ This week is Behaviour Awareness Week — a chance to shine a spotlight on behaviour, wellbeing, and the support every child deserves in school.

At CAL, we believe behaviour is a form of communication. With the calm presence of our school dogs, students feel safer, less anxious, and more able to regulate their emotions.

Positive behaviour grows when children feel understood, supported, and included 🐾💛

Our founder Vickie had the pleasure of catching up with Clare Luther at the Wellington College Prep Literacy Festival ye...
19/09/2025

Our founder Vickie had the pleasure of catching up with Clare Luther at the Wellington College Prep Literacy Festival yesterday! 📚🐾 Her Little Paws Hotel series is a brilliant resource that we regularly use in our emotional regulation sessions, thank you, Clare!

Meet Charlie & Star 🐾At Canine Assisted Learning, our team is driven by passion, compassion, and a love for dogs — and C...
19/09/2025

Meet Charlie & Star 🐾

At Canine Assisted Learning, our team is driven by passion, compassion, and a love for dogs — and Charlie embodies all three.

Charlie has years of experience working with children, including those with additional needs. She says, “Children inspire and intrigue me — they make me want to be a better person by trying to help them.” Her dedication is matched by her love for dogs, which makes her work with school dogs truly special.

Her companion, Star, is a 3-year-old Cocker Spaniel with a temperament that’s loving, lively, and endlessly amiable. Star enjoys belly rubs and a good game of fetch, and while she doesn’t lick, she has a unique habit of sniffing people’s faces as if checking out their aura — a little quirk that delights everyone she meets.

Together, Charlie and Star work across primary and secondary schools, supporting learning by being a calming presence in the classroom — and sometimes adding a bit of fun to make lessons more engaging.

Whether it’s helping a nervous student settle, boosting confidence, or simply bringing joy to the day, Charlie and Star show the magic of Canine Assisted Learning in action.

🐶✨ “By being a calming presence, but also something fun to come and do whilst learning, Star helps children feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive.”

National Coding Week (16–22 Sept)💻🐾 It’s National Coding Week! A time to celebrate digital creativity and inspire young ...
17/09/2025

National Coding Week (16–22 Sept)

💻🐾 It’s National Coding Week! A time to celebrate digital creativity and inspire young people to explore technology.

At CAL, we know learning isn’t just about books – it’s about confidence, resilience, and curiosity. Our dogs help create calm, positive spaces where students feel safe to try new skills (yes, even coding 🖥️).

Whether it’s writing code, reading a story, or simply building confidence, we’re here to support every learner’s journey.

🌍💛 National Inclusion Week (15–21 Sept) 💛🌍It’s National Inclusion Week – a reminder that every student deserves to feel ...
15/09/2025

🌍💛 National Inclusion Week (15–21 Sept) 💛🌍

It’s National Inclusion Week – a reminder that every student deserves to feel seen, supported, and valued in school.

At CAL, our school dogs help to:
🐾 Break down barriers
🐾 Encourage social connections
🐾 Provide comfort where it’s most needed

They’re part of creating inclusive, welcoming classrooms where every learner can thrive.

This week, let’s celebrate the unique strengths each child brings to the classroom! 🐶✨

📚🐾 Back-to-School Reminder 🐾📚A new school year can bring excitement — and sometimes anxiety. Therapy dogs can make a rea...
01/09/2025

📚🐾 Back-to-School Reminder 🐾📚
A new school year can bring excitement — and sometimes anxiety. Therapy dogs can make a real difference by helping children feel calmer, more confident, and ready to learn.

At Canine-Assisted Learning, our dogs support pupils in building resilience, focus, and connection, setting them up for a positive start this September. 💙

🐾✨ Evidence-Based Practice in Canine-Assisted Learning ✨🐾Did you know that research shows therapy dogs can actually redu...
29/08/2025

🐾✨ Evidence-Based Practice in Canine-Assisted Learning ✨🐾

Did you know that research shows therapy dogs can actually reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase oxytocin (the bonding hormone) in children? 💙

This means that the positive effects of working with our dogs go far beyond comfort — they have a proven emotional impact that helps children feel calmer, more connected, and ready to learn.

At Canine-Assisted Learning, we see this every day: the science backs up what we witness in our sessions — dogs really do make a measurable difference. 🐶📊

🌟 Meet Helen & Charlie 🐾At Canine Assisted Learning, we’re proud of the incredible partnerships between our practitioner...
26/08/2025

🌟 Meet Helen & Charlie 🐾

At Canine Assisted Learning, we’re proud of the incredible partnerships between our practitioners and their dogs. Today we’d love to introduce you to Helen Blackmore and her wonderful Labrador, Charlie.

🐕 About Charlie
Charlie is 7 years old and has the most wonderfully calm, patient, and gentle nature. She may be a little timid at times, but that’s part of what makes her so special — children quickly see that it’s okay to be quiet, gentle, and take things at your own pace. Charlie loves strokes, playing ball, and learning new tricks, but what stands out most is her ultra-relaxed personality that puts everyone at ease.

👩 About Helen
Helen has over 6 years’ experience and combines her deep love for dogs with her background in schools. Together, she and Charlie work with children aged 4 to 16, offering support in:
✨ Mental health & emotional regulation
✨ Literacy support
✨ Looked after children (children in the care system)
✨ Special Educational Needs (SEN)
✨ 1:1 interventions
✨ Overcoming fears of dogs

💛 The Difference They Make
Helen and Charlie create a calming, non-judgmental, and friendly environment where children feel safe to open up, regulate, and learn. Whether it’s helping a child find their voice, overcome a fear, or simply experience the unconditional comfort of a dog, they are making a real difference every day.

And of course — Charlie’s welfare always comes first. Her happiness and wellbeing are at the heart of every session, ensuring she enjoys her work just as much as the children enjoy being with her.

We’re so lucky to have Helen and Charlie on the team! 🐶📚

🐾 Therapy Dogs Reduce Exclusion Risk 🚫“By helping students regulate and feel seen, our dogs play a role in reducing beha...
23/08/2025

🐾 Therapy Dogs Reduce Exclusion Risk 🚫

“By helping students regulate and feel seen, our dogs play a role in reducing behavioural exclusions.”

When a child feels overwhelmed, unseen, or unable to regulate their emotions, behaviour can escalate quickly. That’s where our therapy dogs step in. 🐶💛

Their calm, non-judgmental presence helps students pause, reconnect, and find a sense of safety. This can be the difference between a child being excluded from class — or being able to stay, re-engage, and learn.

Therapy dogs are not a ‘quick fix’ — but as part of a trauma-informed approach, they are powerful allies in building inclusive schools where every child is supported to succeed. 📚✨

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Wokingham
RG40

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The Canine Assisted Wellbeing Group is dedicated to improving mental health and emotional wellbeing through professional canine support. We provide specialist interventions and support to children and adults across workplaces, schools, colleges, universities, mental health hospitals and care homes.

We offer a confidential and supportive environment with our team of experienced consultants and specially trained dogs. Typically these can be one-to-one emotional regulation or talking therapy sessions in a range of areas such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, coping with change, trauma, self-regulation and bereavement. They can also be, however, just taking time out from a busy day to help relieve daily stresses and to stop and pause for a few moments in safe and calm surroundings.

Our heritage brand – Canine Assisted Learning – lies in working with children of all ages and we are at the forefront of academic and therapeutic interventions in schools supporting learning and emotional regulation. We have worked with many children and schools across the UK over the past five years, supporting their emotional wellbeing with a focus on positive mental health.

In 2019, we launched our services in the workplace to offer canine assisted intervention sessions to employees in businesses. It is well documented how our mental health can suffer – often in silence – in the workplace and the impact it can have on productivity, motivation and attitude. We are now successfully working with a number of businesses offering regular one-to-one sessions for employees to encourage them to focus on their mental health and emotional wellbeing.