Let’s Talk About Teacher’s Pets (Literally)

When many people think of the phrase teacher’s pet they think of that one student in the class who is the teacher’s favorite or thinks they are the teacher’s favorite. That’s not always the case, though. Turning this idiom into a literal term, many teachers have actual pets at home, ones that they love more than even some of their favorite students. 

Often, students get the title of teacher’s pet due to their perceived good behavior or personality, but pets really have the best personality of all. Pets are commonly known for having funny personalities and being a good companion. Although some students may think they are the teachers favorite, most teachers actually favor their furry companions at home.

Teaching is a very stressful job, and like many others, teachers look forward to seeing their pets at the end of the day. According to the American Heart Association, pets can reduce work related stress and increase productivity. Teachers have loads of work to get done, so it can get very overwhelming and stressful, but most teachers can look forward to seeing their furry friends at the end of a long day.

Dance teacher Caitie Reece has two furbabies, a Doberman Pinscher named Emmet the Chosen One and a Jack Russel Terrier named Woody’s Wild Roundup. She describes her dogs as very playful and energetic. She loves having playful pets that also know exactly when to calm down and provide a sense of peace.

“They may be wild and crazy, but they know when I need to de-stress and can instantly become lap dogs,” Reece says.

Dogs are some of the most common pets in American households. They are most known for being playful, loyal, and protective. Their playful nature brings joy to many people, and their protectiveness can help people feel safe and comforted. Many teachers need a pet like this to be able to detect when they are stressed or overwhelmed and give comfort. 

Furbaby is an English term for a pet that someone treats with a lot of love and affection, as if it were a baby. Some teachers don’t have kids, but instead they have furbabies. After dealing with sarcasm and complaining all day, it is no surprise that most teachers want to go home to some peace and quiet and cuddle up with their friendly and calm furbabies.

While many people are drawn by the playful and friendly nature of dogs, some prefer to hold the slobber and invest in a feline friend instead. Cats are the second most common pet in American households. They are known for being independent and intelligent. Some teachers at Davie County High School have their own feline friends, including science teacher Jef McCandless, who has four cats. One of his cats’ names is Oliver, who McCandless claims acts like a dog by running to his kids when they cry and sleeping outside their door at night.

“One thing I love about cats vs dogs is that cats are picky,” McCandless says. “Dogs seem happy to see almost everyone. If a cat is happy to see you… it means something.”

McCandless states that it feels good to earn affection from a pet, and having a pet love you is really something special. Being able to come home to your pets that love you unconditionally is an amazing feeling. 

Considering how draining their jobs can be, having fun and loving pets to come home to can be the best part of a teacher’s day. History teacher Zachary Wood has two dogs, a Labrador named Emma and a border Collie named Scout. They are both super energetic, love to chase deer, and hate neighborhood cats. For him, the best part about having pets is the love and excitement that they show when he comes home.

“No matter how bad the day is, it is better seeing how happy and excited my pals are to have me home,” Wood says.

It is such a wonderful moment for several teachers to be able to come home after a long day at work and see the enthusiasm that their pets have for them. This shows the bond between pets and humans, which is such an important thing for so many people. The relationship between animals and humans impacts the mental well-being of both humans and animals.

There are also so many fun facts about pets, which make them more interesting and unique! Some of these fun facts include that cats and dogs have specific nose prints (just like humans have fingerprints), dogs can detect fear and stress in humans, and cats spend 30-50% of their time grooming.

Whether a teacher’s pet is a fierce Doberman or a dog-like cat, teachers’ pets provide a sense of comfort in the chaos of day-to-day life.