School dog James brings calm to students at Ådalsskolen

A golden retriever named James is a regular presence at Ådalsskolen in Vamdrup, where he helps students—many on the autism spectrum—find calm and focus, reports DR.

For 13-year-old Birk Kjærgaard Lange, time with James makes concentrating in class easier. “He brings a kind of calm. It’s easier to focus after walking with him because he’s just sweet,” Birk said.

Classmate Elias Wolf agrees. “There’s a bit more calm, and it’s a bit more fun to be at school,” he said.

James is owned by Yasmin Bøllehuus, a special needs educator at the school. Trained as a school dog, he assists several days a week—greeting students in the morning, listening to children read, joining walks, or providing a break for those who need it.

Bøllehuus said James has helped motivate students to return to school after absences and eased transitions for new pupils. When Elias switched to Ådalsskolen, James visited his old school first. “It was nicer,” Elias said of starting at the new school already knowing James.

Bøllehuus wishes more schools would adopt similar programs. “It’s magical to see the effect he has. We see it in so many students right away,” she said.