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Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or a member of the faculty, chances are you’ve noticed a four-legged furry friend and his ‘human’ mom in the Ramshack at the front of the school. We’ve all seen Bogie and Mrs. Dee Baker around, but for many of us, their story is still a bit of a mystery. It turns out that there’s more to their story than what meets the eye.
Ramshack staff, picture provided by Mrs. Baker
Mrs. Baker’s husband is the AISG director Mr. Baker. Together, they raised their four children in Hong Kong and Korea, having worked in Asia for over 31 years. She manages the Ramshack, where she can usually be found—unless she is in the U.S. The Ramshack, as she puts it, is her “complete joy and passion.”
Along with raising her children, the Baker family also has another child—a “furbaby,” as she likes to call her 5 ½-year-old goldendoodle. Of course, he is more familiar to us as Bogie, who has been part of the AISG community since 2020. When Mrs. Baker first brought him to classes, many teachers expressed a desire to have him in their classrooms.
Mr. Baker, Mrs. Baker, Bogie posing for a picture, image from Mrs. Baker
Mrs. Baker speaks about when they first adopted Bogie, and says, “At the time, Bogie was only 9 months old and had a lot of energy. He was well trained, but he still liked to jump on everyone. He needed more training,” Mrs. Baker recalls. So, once they returned to the U.S., they began working with a professional trainer. After a few weeks, Bogie moved on to more advanced training to become a therapy dog. Today, Bogie is an experienced therapy dog, having been trained in both Guangzhou and the U.S.
There is an important distinction to be made between a therapy dog and a service dog, though both are working dogs and often wear the distinctive vests we see.
“Although a therapy dog is a working dog, Bogie is not a service dog. Service dogs are task-trained animals who assist one individual with a disability or specific medical need. A therapy dog generally provides comfort, attention, and support in settings like hospitals, nursing homes, and schools by invitation.” Mrs. Baker clarifies, “Bogie and I are considered a team when we are at school together.”
Mrs. Baker hopes the role of therapy dogs is clear. “Therapy animals provide comfort and emotional support. They are not trained to assist a single person but are instead taught to be well-behaved and sociable around various groups of people.” Mrs. Baker says, “These animals help reduce stress, anxiety, and loneliness for those they visit. Unlike service animals, therapy animals are not required to perform specific tasks. Their calming presence is what makes them valuable in their working environments.”
Bogie on a drive, picture provided by Mrs. Baker
Many students at AISG value Bogie’s presence. Carolina W. (G12) says, “When I see Bogie in the hallway it always brings a smile to my face.” She notes, “I think it’s very beneficial to have animals in the school as it teaches students about compassion and allows people who don’t have pets to have exposure to animals. I personally always look forward to seeing him, and I know many other students do too.”
Students looking forward to visiting Bogie in the Ramshack is something Mrs. Baker finds rewarding.
“Being a dog lover myself, I think sometimes a little puppy love can make a difference when you’re having a ruff (see what I did there) day!” she says with a hint of humor, adding that Bogie has helped students especially during stressful times—like last year, Bogie was invited to spend time with IB DP students before day two of their math exams. However, if you are just stopping by the Ramshack to buy merchandise and aren’t inclined to meet our furry friend, Mrs. Baker is happy to accommodate that as well.
“I am quite aware, though, that not everyone is comfortable around dogs. When a student or adult enters the Ramshack and expresses this, I am quick to move Bogie to a secure location while they are there.”
While it may be easy to get carried away by a cute and fluffy furball, it’s important to still be respectful. Being a therapy dog does not mean you can interact with him like a regular pet.
“It is important for people of all ages to ask first whether they can touch/pet the dog (or other animal) and to never tease them or feed them,” Mrs. Baker says, adding that Bogie’s job can make him fatigued, just like any of us. “Bogie has between 40–60 visitors each day he works. It’s pretty amazing, actually. At times, having a large number of people surrounding him can make Bogie uncomfortable, and he needs a break. He will excuse himself and come to me for reassurance.”
This same rule applies to service dogs and all working dogs.
“It would be important to understand that a service dog is not a pet. Service animals have an important job to do. They are trained specifically to perform a task to assist his/her person with a disability, and it is important not to do anything to distract them from their job,” Mrs. Baker explains.
This reflects a broader message: not only should we be respectful toward others, but we should also be compassionate and empathetic.
“Choosing to be accepting of others, having empathy, and showing compassion are social-emotional skills that create a safe community in which those with disabilities can thrive. While some are living with disabilities, often others are unaware of it. We each have different needs, so treating everyone with kindness and respect fosters a compassionate community.” says Mrs. Baker
Putting ourselves in other people’s shoes can really teach us invaluable lessons. Mrs. Baker hopes this is clear.
Mrs. Baker shares, “To my knowledge, we’ve not had a service animal at school but wouldn’t that be awesome!?”
While there are no service dogs at school, we can all learn important lessons through our interactions with Bogie. In fact, there is hope that we may see more “Bogies” in the international school scene in general.
“Having a therapy dog on campus is somewhat unusual in an international school environment, although we are hearing more and more that other schools are extending invitations to therapy dogs and their handlers.”
If they are anything like Bogie, then we hope to see them here!
Bogie (left) and Romeo (right) in the Ramshack, image provided by Mrs. Baker
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