Effects of a Pet Dog in an Elementary Classroom

Abstract

Nine elementary-age children participated in a study which involved a dog in an elementary classroom setting. This study relied on a mixed design, combining a single-subject design method with that of qualitative research. The research attempted to answer the question of how does the presence of a pet dog in an elementary self-contained classroom impact students' feeling/emotions and does it impact incidents of physical aggression? Data consisted of pre and post survey results and documentation of incidents of physical aggression with and without the presence of a dog. Results determined that the use of a dog in a self-contained elementary setting's curriculum potentially contributed to a 17 .2 % decrease in physical aggression during implementation of the intervention phases.