Paisley retires
Paisley our Peterhouse Pup joined our school in 2019. The idea a ‘secret agent’ pup behind the scenes for a year sharing her learning to be a support dog for our children via her dog blog while training and learning about school.
As with everyone who joined any school in the academic year 2019/20 her learning journey was not quite what anyone expected it to be. From March 2020 she began a period of ‘home learning’ during the pandemic whilst still sharing her knowledge of the changing world. She experienced new words like ‘isolate’, ‘socially distance’ and shared her world through her blog as she told stories to the children from home, hopefully modelling some positivity and connecting to people where she could. Even from her distance she began interacting with our children who were learning from home by visiting gardens or going on their daily walks.
As schools reopened and Paisley was allowed back to Peterhouse she visited classrooms, cuddled children, learnt to speak using her own AAC devices, played games, read alongside children including reading her own words or listening to them read. She worked on Accessing the Community sharing her thinking of how to wait when crossing a road by looking left and right, agility courses, lunchtime outings and generally became part of the school community. She was invited to different classrooms where children wrote about her in creative ways including a ‘holiday blog’ of weekly travels sending classes postcards as she popped up in power points and newspaper stories and she continued to write her blog which became a ‘reading for pleasure’ in some classrooms. She was a constant presence around school and occasionally she just popped into class for a friendly hello.
As time went on, when she was just two and a bit Paisley had a very difficult time and was very poorly. She was signed off work for 6 months by the vet. She was missed. The children made her get well cards and sent well wishes proving the Peterhouse pup was a popular pal. After many tests she gained a diagnosis and in true Peterhouse Puppy style shared her learning via her blog. New vocabulary like her understanding of the word ‘diagnosis’ as well as sharing her thinking that this label was just who she was and a part of her. She blogged about medical trips and treatments hopefully sharing learning of the Wider World even though she was not in school.
Her return to school was gentle. As Peterhouse does best we looked at what would work for her. A blended offer of what she could manage. Part time days in a phased transition, listening to what she needed to make coming into school right for her. Initially she did two days a week but then had a package of flexible working. She has continued to do this until Summer 2025.
Despite her love for school and every child at Peterhouse as well as her obvious joy and excitement of coming into classrooms Paisley’s illness has impacted as she has grown older. She is now just over six and although usually fit and healthy her body does not make the hormones needed to help her have the health and energy to be a working dog life even with part time attendance. She and Lesley have kept trying to keep her returning but she can only manage a day every now and then.
It is with a heavy heart that the decision for early retirement has been made. During Pailsey’s time in school she has worked with many children, raised well over £1000 for walk for autism and touched the lives of many staff and children. As with any member of staff she has made a difference in her own unique way and she will be missed by many and remembered with great fondness as the Peterhouse Puppy with a dog blog. Paisley still lives with Lesley and will continue to have a wonderful life of sunny beach walks, restful days, long cuddles and happy adventures.
We wish Paisley a peaceful retirement and hope that if she is passing she will pop into Peterhouse to say hello. As with everyone who has crossed the Peterhouse threshold she is forever part of our family.
Happy retirement Paisley
🐾🐾🐾🐾
