'Dog Day Afternoons' at the Library: Therapy Dogs Can Help Children Read

Candace Braun

A new program to inspire children to read was introduced on Saturday, January 15, at the Princeton Public Library. "Dog Day Afternoons" will encourage children to read by giving them a less intimidating reading partner than a parent or teacher, and a perfect companion for work and play: a therapy dog.

Modeled on similar programs across the country, this is the first one in a Mercer County library, said Tara Vinson-McCullough, M.Ed., one of the program's coordinators, who brought her therapy dog Curtsey to visit with children on Saturday.

Research has shown that children who have difficulty reading and therefore have a low self-esteem have less trouble practicing their reading in the presence of an animal, rather than another human being, said Ms. McCullough. When children aren't interrupted or corrected, they are more likely to forget their limitations and enjoy the experience.

"One key to the success of the experience is a shift away from the children viewing themselves as the target of yet another remedial program, and toward them seeing themselves as tutors and helpers for the dog. This is liberating and satisfying for the children, and frees them from performance pressure," according to a dog therapy pamphlet.

Scheduled to kick-off at the library in February, "Dog Days" is a blending of CARE (Children and Animals Realizing Education), which is run by Lewis School teachers Ms. McCullough, and Sarah Stevens, and READ (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), which was introduced in 1999 at a library in Salt Lake City. The program, which will be conducted in the Princeton Public Library and may expand later to other venues, including area public schools, is supported by the Intermountain Therapy Animals group.

"Dog Day Afternoons" will be organized through a sign-up sheet at the library, which will give children a 30 to 45-minute time slot to read with a dog. After the library's first session in February, a second session will be held in the spring, and a third in the fall, said Ann Woodrow of the library's youth services department.

Children will be assigned both a dog and a book for their reading level, said Ms. McCullough. The child will continue with both the dog and the book through each reading session, until they have finished reading it. Afterwards, as a way of reflecting on what he or she has learned, the child will create a reading test for the dog. After advancing to the next reading level, the child will be given a "pawtographed" book to keep as a reward and incentive to continue reading.

"We try to do things to make it fun and educational, as well as to get the child actively involved in reading," said Ms. McCullough.

Children of all ages can participate, she said, since each age produces unique reading problems. Both Ms. McCullough and Ms. Stevens have their own reading difficulties, as they are both dyslexic. They are currently undergoing training to become certified dyslexia teachers.

Dog Duties

Dogs who are chosen for the program must be at least two years old, and show that they are of sound temperament to deal with harassment or energetic behavior from a child, said Ms. McCullough. The dogs are trained to leave during a negative situation, such as a child mistreating it or trying to get it to play during reading time.

All the dogs in the library's program have undergone one to one-and-a-half years training at Therapy Dogs International. The training focuses on the dogs' discipline and patience around humans, with the final test involving leaving the dog in a room without his owner for three minutes after being told to "sit and stay" the entire time, despite whatever activity may go on around him.

As disciplined as the therapy dogs are, they know how to play just like any other dog when work is through, said Ms. McCullough. Work time is signified through the work harness that each dog wears. If a dog is reluctant to put on the harness, she knows it wants a day off from its duties.

"They have to love what they're doing or they won't be effective therapy dogs," she said, adding that along with helping children to read, the program also helps them learn how to understand the body language of a living creature unable to communicate feelings through speech.

"It's a great opportunity for kids to have a pet in their life," she said.

The dogs are also well-groomed and potty-trained, added Ms. McCullough. The dogs are cleaned once a week, which prevents children from having allergic reactions to the animals.

Finding the Right Dog

According to Ms. McCullough, there is no specific breed or type of dog that's right for the program. While Curtsey, a nine-year-old Australian shepherd and chow is perfect for the duties, her cocker spaniel lacked the necessary patience around children.

With an undergraduate degree in education and in teaching the handicapped, Ms. McCullough was first inspired to use her dog for teaching when she saw how it reacted to children. Approximately a year after being rescued from a dog shelter, Curtsey broke loose from her owner in a park when it heard a baby crying. The dog, which had never taken off before, began to whimper to the child, appearing to want to calm the baby in some way.

Ms. McCullough discovered shortly after that the Therapy Dog Program seemed to fit Curtsey just right. She began bringing her dog to school to help children in the classroom through learning and reading exercises. Like the other dogs in the program, Curtsey also served as a mechanism for calming anxious students, she said. Studies have shown that having a pet can lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety in stressful situations.

Looking forward to the initiative at the library that could also lead to other dog therapy programs in the community, Ms. McCullough said she and the dogs are excited to have this opportunity to show what they can do.

"It opens up a whole world to a lot of children," she said, adding that for some children, the program inspires them to pursue other venues that involve animals, such as veterinary medicine, or volunteering at an animal shelter.

For more information on the program, contact Youth Services Coordinator Ann Woodrow, at (609) 924-9529, ext. 249.