Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working closely with Canine Comprehension to co-design and build a set of sensory vests for their therapy dogs. These vests are intended to support students with additional learning needs by offering calming textures, visual cues, and simple communication elements that can be used during school visits and wellbeing sessions.
The Makeathon brought together volunteers, dog-handlers, and community members to explore what makes a vest both comfortable for the dogs and genuinely useful in a classroom setting. Participants sketched, tested materials, and sewed multiple prototypes, considering factors like fit, weight, cleaning, and how children might interact with the vests during moments of stress or transition.
What stood out throughout the process was the collaborative spirit: handlers shared insights from working daily with their dogs, volunteers brought sewing and design skills, and everyone contributed ideas that balanced practicality with care.
We’d like to extend a warm thank you to Canine Comprehension, to our volunteers for their time and craft, and to the dogs who patiently modelled every iteration. We look forward to seeing these vests in use and to continuing this partnership to support students’ wellbeing through thoughtful, inclusive design.
