ABSTRACT
The importance of viewing dogs as ‘companions’ in the classroom is presented as an alternative to merely thinking about dogs as ‘assistance' and ‘therapy’ animals. To do this we need to shift perspective to the em/bodiment and corporality of child dog relationships. In exploring the bi-directionality of child-dog encounters the mutual nurturing and flourishing of the relationship is amplified. Through the ‘arts of noticing’ and ‘agentic cuts’ the author accentuates how ‘skinship’ and ‘second skin defences’ play a fundamental role in surviving the beguiling aspects of classroom space. It is suggested that touch in middle childhood should be flagged as an important concern and how touch deprivation in childhood can be overcome through a ‘hands on pedadogy’ and recognition of educators expressing ‘love’ in the classroom.
