“Part German Shepherd, part meerkat”: Mara becomes a school dog

Mara is unfazed. Small children, crowds, all kinds of noises, a skateboard whizzing by, bicycles, or joggers—nothing fazes her. The presence of teacher María Ramos’s dog is greeted with joy on the grounds of the Steinmühle. And soon, the four-legged friend starts stopping by Steinmühlenweg more often.

Mara is actually María Ramos’s daughter’s therapy dog. Her daughter wasn’t able to bring Mara with her to her facility. Ramos: “One day I thought, ‘We could do more with this animal’s potential.’ The school administration agreed with my idea of Mara becoming a school dog.” First and foremost, a temperament test is required. “Mara passed that successfully,” the teacher reports. Now Mara will undergo proper training. “She already knows all the commands.”

Mara’s roots are in the Balkans. She arrived in her new home in Germany malnourished, frightened, and “with patches of light-colored fur.” Mara spent her first six months on a farm with many children. This “cross between a German Shepherd and a meerkat” has been living with María Ramos since December 2020.

Those in charge are well aware that children will also need instructions on how to interact with the school dog. They also recognize that a school dog can help children cope with stress, promote their well-being, lift their spirits, and even improve their social skills.

We’re very excited to see how things turn out and look forward to Mara’s return with her “diploma.” We’ll continue our animal-themed report in due course.