November 2005
D-O-G Spells H-E-L-P
for Some Reluctant Readers
by Carol Stripling
Dogs of all sizes and colors are flopped down on the floor at the Borders bookstore in Redmond on a recent fall Saturday. Each pooch lies passively while a child sits a few inches away hunched over an open book. Intent and earnest in their efforts, young boys and girls decipher words aloud and point out pictures to their patient canine listeners. Every now and then a tail wags in encouragement and a furry head lifts up as if to hear a little better.
It’s Canine Classic day at Redmond Town Center, and there are all kinds of doggy-related activities. But the most popular booth houses Becky Bishop, co-founder and director of Reading with Rover, and at least a dozen of the 43 pairs of dogs and handlers who have passed her training to become official teams for this unique Northwest literacy program.
Based loosely on a similar program in Utah, Reading with Rover was born in 2001 when Bishop, owner of the Puppy Manners obedience school, teamed with the Bothell library to try it out on local youngsters. The concept of having children read to dogs proved so popular and successful that the program has become part of the regular reading schedule at Woodmoor Elementary in Woodinville and Lawton Elementary in Seattle. Organizers hope to expand the program to more Puget Sound area schools.
A Willing Listener Builds Confidence
Teachers first identify children who might be helped by
the Reading with Rover program. Their reading problems might stem from
something as simple as a lack of confidence or as challenging as autism.
Once a dog is assigned, the same Reading with Rover dog and handler will
work with that child every week, usually for the length of the school
year. Autistic children often show the most dramatic improvement, according
to volunteer Mark Nordahl. He describes gratifying experiences, including
one mother who cried with thanks when her child spoke for the first time
ever while she was working with him and his 12-year-old dog, Annie.
Bishop believes the children see the dogs as nonjudgmental, and therefore
there is no risk of being embarrassed if they are slow readers. Teachers
have also noted side benefits for kids in the program, including decreased
absenteeism, improved self-esteem and social interactions, and increased
involvement in other school programs. For the kids, reading to the dogs
comes down to something pretty basic: “They don’t really care
if you mess up or not,” one boy notes.
Dogs Go To School and Pass Tests, Too
Not every Spot, Mick or Fido qualifies for the Reading with Rover program. A dog must first become a Delta Society Pet Partners certified therapy dog and then pass specific behavior training and testing to be sure he will deal calmly with any developmental problems in children.
On this day on the stage in Redmond, program volunteer Pat is putting her spirited boxer-mix, Marcello, through the behavior test demonstration. Marcello has shown that he will accept petting from a friendly stranger, will let another neutral dog pass unheeded, and will not react to unexpected human behavior such as rough petting or yelling. An almost perfect Reading with Rover dog, Marcello has only slipped slightly on one test: the “leave an object” challenge. That yellow tennis ball on the stage is just too much temptation to pass by without a brief, exuberant (and forgivable) pull on the leash to pick it up.
Volunteers Needed – Both Canine and Human
Reading with Rover volunteers visit schools, bookstores and libraries throughout the Puget Sound region, and the program was included in a recent Jane Goodall feature, “When Animals Talk,” on Animal Planet. More dogs are needed, along with their human partners, to fill the demand to expand the program into more Northwest schools. Bishop and her crew are glad to test family dogs to determine if they are ready to be reading dogs. Learn more about testing and training by calling 206-384-6151.
Your kids can try Reading with Rover and get official “pawtographs” of the dogs at Seattle’s Child’s Education & Enrichment Fair at Seattle Center on Nov.6. To find out about regular reading times at the Borders store in Redmond Town Center or other public appearances, visit www.readingwithrover.org.
Carol Stripling is a Seattle writer and is the director of community relations for Seattle’s Child and Puget Sound Parent.
Dogs, Music and Science at
Education & Enrichment Fair Nov. 6
Seattle’s Child’s fourth annual Education & Enrichment Fair Nov. 6, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., at the Center House at Seattle Center, will include the dogs of the Reading with Rover program along with other family activities and entertainment. You can read with the dogs in their booth and watch demonstrations of their training on the main stage at various times during the day.
Parents will be able to visit with dozens of educators and representatives of public and private schools, museums and enrichment programs on the main floor and upstairs. Kids can stop by the King County Police My ID Club booth to get an official safety card; count jingle bells to earn prizes at the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run sign-up booth; and play games or make crafts at various booths all day long.
The Brian Waite Band will combine music with crazy antics on the main Center House stage from noon to 1 p.m. Mad Science of King County will give dazzling displays of science in action at two shows, 11:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., on the main stage.
Admission and all activities are free.
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