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'dog ~ Give The Dog A Book ~ read'

By: iSnare Articles

".....Daria Meets LinusLinus, a 7-year-old Shetland Sheepdog, is one of six therapy dogs p..........dog,read,book,therapy,library,literacy,child,kids....."

Six-year-old Daria of Bath, Maine, heard about Paws for Reading at the Patten Free Library and wanted to participate—she had seen kids reading to dogs on TV and wondered what that might be likeHer mother enrolled her in the reading program and tonight, Daria is astir about reading her first writing to a dog Linus.

Paws for Reading, a new summer program at the Bath library, offers children in grades 2 through 4 the opportunity to practice their reading skills by reading aloud to a dog. The Paws for Reading program connects kids with local therapy dogs and their handlers and gives them a hazard to interact in a fun and motivational setting.

Daria Meets Linus

Linus, a 7-year-old Shetland Sheepdog, is one of six therapy dogs participating in the library’s summer program. Read to a dog? But, why? Because dogs stock an attentive audience in an unthreatening environment in which a child can practice reading without the worry of being criticized or corrected. Linus holds the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen certificate and he is registered with Therapy Dogs International, Inc., a volunteer organization that provides qualified handlers and their trained dogs to libraries, nursing homes or hospitals and other places where therapy dogs are needed. Highly trained, he has an impressive resume. This evening he will listen as children read stories to him.

When Daria arrives, she meets Linus in the children’s library. Linus also recently qualified as a Reading Education Assistance Dog. The librarian chose “Little Squeegy Bug” by Bill Martin for Daria to read before leading the two to a quiet room. Daria tentatively pets Linus and feels his soft, thick fur—he takes all the attention in stride. Therapy dog handlers are trained to use the dogs as conduits in the reading session. Here, Daria sits on the big, comfortable blanket on the floor in the course of Linus stretches out beside her as she opens the writing to enter upon reading.

Susan Beegel, Linus’ handler, shares the blanket with Linus and Daria and remains with them during the 30-minute reading session. Can you tell him what it means?” The handler acts as the dog’s interpreter, allowing the child to become a teacher, and to learn and practice reading skills in an environment created to make the child feel confident.

Paws for Reading

The Patten Free Library based its Paws for Reading program on Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.), a program developed by Intermountain Therapy Animals, a Utah-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life through the human-animal bond. If a child struggles with pronouncing a word, Beegel might say, “Linus likes to sound the word out.” To help with vocabulary and story comprehension, she might suggest, “Linus hasn’t heard that word before. was established in 1999 and pioneered the way of reading to a therapy dog as a wherewithal to improve children’s reading and communication skills.

Oftentimes, when children are asked to read aloud to their peers, they become stressed and anxious for fear of being criticized or looking “dumb.” These worries make it tough for the child to gathering place on reading and comprehension, especially for those who are just edification to read. R.E.A.D. The positive interaction leads to an emendation in reading skills and an increase in confidence.

Beegel, a Patten Free Library board member, first broached the image of a reading program at the library subsequently she heard about R.E.A.D. However, when a child reads aloud to a dog, she forgets about experience self-conscious and worries below average about making mistakes. The library’s director, Anne Phillips, was intrigued and supportive of the apprehension and Paws for Reading was born. She and Linus had already been involved in therapy work for some time and she has worked as a reading tutor for children in a number of anomalistic programs. All the dogs in the Paws for Reading program are trained therapy dogs and their trained handlers always accompany them. The program fits perfectly with the library’s summer reading theme, Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales.

Therapy Dogs

Not just any dog can do what Linus does in the library—it takes private training and preparation for both the dog and the handler. or Delta Society’s Pet Partners Program.

According to the Patten Free Library’s Paws for Reading flier, “Therapy dogs must transmit rigorous examinations in training and temperament given by a qualified judge. Dogs and handlers are certified by national organizations, including Therapy Dogs International, Inc., Therapy Dogs, Inc. Therapy dogs must be able to point of convergence on their handlers in distracting circumstances and must enjoy interacting with all kinds of people.”

Some of the documented benefits of interacting with therapy animals include invisibleness of blood pressure, added relaxation and a bias to forget about pain and limitations. They must have excellent loyalty skills and evince that they are not unduly nervous, shy or aggressive to people or other dogs. They are uptodate this evening with their handlers to acknowledge Linus and Beegel. Given the extensive training therapy dogs take and the soothing effects their occupancy can have on people, it is a natural extension that they be used in children’s reading programs.

Patrick and Martha

Patrick and Martha are also members of the Paws for Reading therapy dog team. He has a championship rank in American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation confirmatoryADJ Nonexistence and experience working in nursing homes. Both Patrick and Martha are certified therapy dogs and anxious to dawn their work.

Patrick is a 2-year-old Standard Poodle. His handler, Joan Harrigan, works for the TD Banknorth Insurance Agency, which encourages volunteerism. Patrick loves kids and clearly wants each one in the library to come say hello to him. What better way than to combine my love of dogs and volunteer at the same time?” says Harrigan.

Martha is a 15-month-old Old English Sheepdog. “I feel that I owe it to the community to give back. May Mitchell, Martha’s handler, says, “This is what Martha loves to do—sit and be paid attention to; sit and be petted. She is an AKC Canine Good Citizen and she passed her therapy dog test this month. She said that counter the program has just begun, she is able to tell from the smiles on the kids’ faces when they finish a session that this program will be very popular. She loves kids.” Mitchell adds that Martha is a little shy and that the Paws for Reading program is a “good introduction to her therapy dog work it is a quiet setting.” If this works out well, they will do some work in nursing homes as well.

Successful Start

Nyree Thomas has been a children’s librarian at the Patten Free Library since 1985. When Daria emerges from the reading room with Linus and Beegel, she greets her mother with a smile on her face. “There is a indescribable connection that can occur amongst dogs and people,” she added.

It looks like Thomas might be right. Daria points to a picture of Danny, a cute dapple Border Terrier. Before she leaves that evening, she and her mother spend a few minutes looking at photos of the other therapy dogs in the reading program.

"..... It appears that Danny and his handler have a reading appointment for next week. It appears that Danny and his handler have a reading appointment for next week...." _____________________________________________

Article Source: http://www.unique-ezine-articles.com

Holly Sherburne is the publisher of Downeast Dog News, a free monthly newspaper for people who love dogs. Downeast Dog News... because dog news is good news.

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Article: 'dog ~ Give The Dog A Book ~ read'

Article:
'dog ~ Give The Dog A Book ~ read'