Meet therapy dog Winnie the Pooch who is working with youngsters at a Luton primary school

Meet Winnie the Pooch – the beloved therapy dog who will be working with primary school pupils in Luton.

Two year-old Winnie and owner Martin visit Bramingham Primary School every Thursday to work with the school children. Winnie began to train with Pets As Therapy (PAT) at just 20 months old.

Martin said: “I got my cockapoo Winnie in 2021 and have put a lot of timing into training her. Because Winnie is so good I thought I would contact the hospice to see if we could go in and put smiles on faces, and when I contacted the hospice they told me we had to be PAT Registered.”

Martin registered as a volunteer and passed the assessment. He added: "Winnie’s assessment involved checking her temperament, checking whether she walks properly on her lead, checking how she reacts to noise. I was asked to then let her off her lead to let her have a run and asked to call her back to me. Her recall is brilliant, she came straight away.

"We both get a lot of pleasure putting smiles on faces and helping children to socialise. Some like to read to Winnie, some like to just stroke Winnie.

“Since becoming a volunteer, I have been to three schools, and one care home. I contacted Bramingham Primary School, because I knew the co-headteacher Petra Sutton, who taught my daughter Sammy Rodker nearly 30 years ago.

"It gives me great pleasure working at the school my daughter went to and I think she is proud of me and what I do.”

Co-headteachers, Satinder Bains and Petra Sutton, said: “Staff and children have been so excited to welcome Martin and Winnie the Pooch to Bramingham. When we first heard about Winnie the Pooch, we did some research and looked at the impact therapy dogs can have on children.

"Winnie the Pooch’s gentle and playful nature has captured the children’s interest and when children are in her company, it is wonderful to observe them showing interest, engaging, communicating, focusing and developing their curiosity and confidence. We are very grateful that Winnie and Martin approached our school and we are looking forward to more of our children having the opportunity to meet them both.”