The Search is On for the UK’s First School Dog of the Year!

March 25, 2025

Is your school home to a four-legged superstar? 🐾
Nominations are now open for the UK’s first-ever School Dog of the Year Award – and It’s The Dog’s is proud to be sponsoring this inspiring new initiative!

This award is all about celebrating the incredible school dogs who go above and beyond to support students’ well-being, boost morale, and create a calm, positive school environment. From calming exam nerves to providing comfort in the playground, these dogs are true classroom heroes.

Recognising the Dogs Who Make a Difference

Launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (APDAWG) and the National School Dog Alliance (NSDA), the School Dog of the Year Award will shine a light on the schools leading the way in integrating dogs into everyday learning.

Open to schools across all stages – early years, primary, secondary, all-age and special education – the award recognises the life-changing impact these dogs can have. And with a special awards ceremony taking place at the Palace of Westminster in summer 2025, there’s a whole lot to celebrate!

🐶 The winning school dog will receive a trophy, a bespoke training package and a pawsome prize bundle full of tasty treats!
🏫 Runners-up will also receive goodie bags for both their school and their dog.

Why We’re Getting Involved

At It’s The Dog’s, we believe every dog deserves to be celebrated – especially the ones going the extra mile to support people’s emotional and mental health.

Our co-founder, Matt Hunt, says it best:

“At It’s The Dog’s, we’re all about giving dogs the best – whether through our all-natural, healthy treats or by supporting initiatives that celebrate their impact. That’s why we’re proud to be part of the UK’s first-ever School Dog of the Year Award. School dogs do so much to support students’ well-being, so we offer huge thanks to APDAWG and the NSDA for this initiative – and we can’t wait to meet the incredible dogs making a difference in schools."

Our healthy peanut butter balls are made with the same care and quality as our human snacks – because we believe dogs should get nothing but the best. And when it comes to the dogs helping kids thrive at school, we couldn’t be more proud to support them.

Meet the Experts Behind the Award

The award is supported by children’s charity Kidscape, who work tirelessly to tackle bullying in schools. It’s also backed by some well-known faces and canine experts, with a judging panel including:

Dr Helen Lewis, Chair of the NSDA

Dr Marc Abraham OBE, vet and co-founder of APDAWG

Beverley Cuddy, Editor of Dogs Today

Hannah Molloy, TV Dog Behaviourist

Rosie Duffield MP, Chair of APDAWG

Plus dog-loving celebs like Nicky Campbell OBE, Kirsty Gallacher, Duncan Jones and Leo Harris

Together, they’ll be selecting the UK’s top school dog – one who brings comfort, confidence, and wagging tails to the classroom.