The Puppy Lab

Well, I can always tell when the end of the school year is near. The textbooks get returned, the field day shirts arrive and the smell of poop fills my room. Yes, you read me right, poop. This year was my third annual puppy lab. You know, that day where I put WAY TOO MUCH effort into bringing an entire litter of puppies into my classroom so my kids can watch real-life animal behavior. We are learning about innate (reflex and instinct) and learned (trial and error, conditioning, imprinting, & insight) behaviors. So how else would the kids learn about such things if I didn't bring stinky puppies into my classroom?



Don't get me wrong, I think puppies are the cutest things. But if you are like me, then you are probably not around such young puppies that often. And if you're not, then you have forgotten how much they go to the bathroom. I could've spent my entire day running from one side of the pin to the other changing out the paper. In fact, I had what I thought would be plenty of newspaper for the day. But by second period I was emailing the other staff for help on the newspaper front.

But how could you get mad about changing paper so often when you see these cute fellows? They are by far the cutest litter I have ever had! Supposedly, they are half shi tzu. They look nothing like it to me, but that came from a very reliable source. One of the eighth grade science teachers lives across the street from the owner of these pups and swore that they are. They were supposedly also a quarter Dotson. That I believe with the short legs. The other quarter unknown, but I self designated it as being Chihuahua. Because I am the dog expert...haha, not at all. But just look at this cute fellow!

They were such well behaved dogs. I would open their kennel and they would all come running out and play along with what I was doing. Then when we were done with the lab, I would open the kennel back up and they would run back in, no problem! I would let them go back in for the last twenty minutes of class so they would be well rested for the next class period.

They did love to play. I didn't get any pictures but some of their playing would get a little violent. To the point where I'd have to reach in and break it up. I put different colored yard around each of the dogs necks so the students wouldn't mix up which puppy they were observing. By the way, they did have a lab sheet to fill out on this. But this is just some of the puppies friendly play with that yarn. Oh, and that is the runt on the left wearing the orange yarn.

And finally, by the end of the day the puppies were just exhausted. So this is what my sixth period got to observe of puppy behavior. Not that great for learning, but so cute!

When all was said and done with the lab, I was glad it was over. It always leaves me physically exhausted at the end of the day. Having to watch and take care of puppies all day as well as five class periods of students is not an easy task! Especially when the kids get so excited and it is even harder to contain them.

But like every other year, at the end of it all, I am glad I did it. The kids really do enjoy it! And it never fails that the kids that you think could care less about anything or the trouble-makers will show a softer side around the puppies. They will straighten up their act and be serious so that they too can get their turn petting the puppies. And when you come up to them with one of the puppies they are the ones that gently pet and talk friendly to the dogs. It's strange almost how different they can be around the puppies. But it does go to show how therapeutic animals can be for humans. They are the cutest and sweetest things...well as long as someone else is taking care of them. Just not quite my cup of tea doing all that gross, dirty work!