Change the person's knowledge, not the dog's life
A term-long guest changes a household's sounds, smells, timetable and doorbell pattern, and your dog will notice all of it. What she does not need is a second, guest-shaped version of her own routine layered on top. Keep feeding times, walk routes, sleeping arrangements and rules about furniture exactly as they were before your student arrived. The settling work belongs to the human newcomer: a short, friendly briefing on day one covering how she likes to be approached, the cues she actually knows, where her quiet retreat is, and the absolute rules — no table scraps, no disturbing her in her bed, no taking her out without telling someone. Most dogs accept a new household member within days when that person is predictable.
Handle the first meeting and the first week carefully
Introduce them where she feels least territorial, ideally outside on a short walk together or in the garden, and let her approach in her own time rather than being presented for a cuddle. A student who is nervous of dogs, unused to them, or simply homesick and keen for affection can overwhelm her with attention; give them shared activities with structure instead, such as the student throwing a ball under your eye or joining a familiar walk. Watch for her stress signals — moving away, lip licking, yawning when not tired, guarding her bed or toys from the newcomer — and increase distance and supervision if you see them, rather than urging them to be friends faster.
Brief for the term, not just the first day
Over a school term the risks shift from first impressions to everyday drift: bedroom doors left open that are usually shut, snacks and school bags left within reach, friends of the student arriving who have never been briefed, and different standards on busy mornings. Agree where bags, shoes and food live, keep her retreat room genuinely hers even when the house is full, and include the student in her care in defined ways, such as one regular evening feed under the household's normal rules, so involvement builds consistency instead of improvisation. If the student will sometimes be home alone with her, rehearse that while you are still in the house, including what to do if she barks at the door or asks to go out.
Keep an eye on the end of term too
Dogs attach to people who feed, walk and fuss them for months, so the student's departure is another change to manage rather than an afterthought. In the final weeks, shift any duties the student has taken over back to family members gradually, so her day does not lose a person and a routine in the same morning. A short period of clinginess or searching familiar rooms afterwards is normal; keep anchors steady and give it time. If anxiety, guarding or appetite changes appear at either end of the term and do not settle within a week or so, talk to your vet for guidance. At the end of term, her profile stays shared only with the family members you selected in KinsLe Family Sharing, so the family side of her world stays put even as the term ends and the guest room empties.