As of: January 27, 2024, 11:59 a.m
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Good teachers: Bernese mountain dog Gretl and wire-haired dachshund Eddie (r.).
© Christian Reischl Christian Reischl
He's a bright guy, his name is Eddie, and he and 16 colleagues are on the staff list at the Villa Regenbogen daycare center in Langenpreising.
The special thing about a daycare center, apart from his male gender: Eddie is a wire-haired dachshund who is used as a therapy dog in education.
Langenpreising – Villa Regenbogen has recently started offering an animal educational concept.
“We don’t receive any extra money for this,” emphasizes manager Ramona Ladwig.
The dog handler has basic pedagogical training as a state-recognized educator with additional qualifications in animal pedagogical intervention (TPI).
The three-year-old rough-haired dachshund completed the training together with the teacher in 2023.
In the Rainbow Villa, Eddie works as a “pedagogue,” so to speak, and provides significant access to the child.
According to Ladwig, the dog as a living creature offers direct, natural contact and thus a contrast to a digitalized world with television, computers and smartphones.
Nowadays, fewer and fewer young people have direct contact with animals, and at the same time the number of children and young people with behavioral problems is increasing.
Those responsible are convinced that using a daycare or school dog can greatly promote child development.
As Ladwig emphasizes, the dog therefore functions “as an indispensable employee” in the dog-human team.
The daycare center has a specific schedule for animal-assisted pedagogy on two specific days of the week.
When asked about their interests, all parents of the 74 children currently looked after at the daycare center agreed to Eddie visiting them.
Only two children did not want the contact - which is of course respected, because participation is always on a voluntary basis.
During the getting-to-know-you phase, the children get to know Eddie the dachshund once a week in a step-by-step process.
As the game progresses, the girls and boys meet the dog in small groups.
The children learn hand and call signals for various commands.
With the help of a spoon, Eddie is rewarded for his commands.
“Eddie can currently implement around 30 signals,” says Ladwig proudly.
For example, if Eddie receives the command “Cup,” he collects cups.
When he hears the word “clean up,” he puts items in the suitcase or basket; when he hears the word “bell,” he rings the bell.
Once a week, Eddie also visits the one to three-year-old children in daycare for around ten minutes in the morning.
Even the littlest ones learn their first responsibility for their four-legged friend, combing their fur or giving water.
Whether in social education, psychology, speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy or special education, “Eddie always takes on a bridging function,” says the daycare center director.
In addition to his work at the daycare center, Eddie is currently helping a child deal with grief on a voluntary basis.
Ladwig also visits retirement homes with her therapy dog.
The children at Villa Regenbogen are already looking forward to Eddie's fourth birthday on March 21st, which will be celebrated with a small party.
You then want to bake “Eddie cookies” as a treat for the person celebrating their anniversary.
So that the little guy isn't overwhelmed, he'll get reinforcements in February.
A second educator is currently completing her training together with Gretl, a Bernese mountain dog.
As cooperation partners, the local St. Martin children's home and the elementary school will soon also benefit from the animal education concept.
Under the motto “Accident prevention with Eddie”, Ladwig also promises to take part in the Langenpreising holiday program.
Sylvia Stadler