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What happens when you pair a senior rescue dog with a classroom full of young readers? Magic — that’s what happens. And for thousands of kids all over the country, it’s helping to put a smile on their faces, each and every day.
There’s no denying it; many kids struggle with reading. It’s one of the most fundamental skills our children need to learn, and yet it can also be the most daunting — especially if the struggles go on for too long. Over time, reading issues become less about intellectual limitations and more about overcoming their fear of failure.
But that’s precisely where reading assistance dogs can help.
The concept is actually quite simple: Many children — especially those just learning to read — can be intimated by the idea of reading to an adult or another child. They may be nervous, worry about being judged, going too slow, or making a mistake and being laughed at.
But here’s the thing about dogs; they can do what many humans cannot: listen with seemingly unlimited patience. They have all the time in the world.
Laura Coffey, author of My Old Dog: Rescued Pets With Remarkable Second Acts, says the power of this partnership lies in the simple fact that “senior dogs have an uncanny ability to help people of any age feel better.”
“Older dogs aren’t too rambunctious or wild and they’re very adaptable and tuned in to their surroundings,” she adds. “They just make such great buddies.”
“And if they’re formally trained in therapy work, their natural abilities to zero in on people who need support become heightened. This absolutely applies to children who are feeling anxiety about their reading and their performance in school,” added Coffey.
The benefits are obvious, to both kids and dogs, so how common are these programs? According to Coffey, the acceptance of R.E.A.D. (reading assistance dogs) teams appears to be on the rise at schools and libraries across North America, as well as around the world. R.E.A.D., which was started by Intermountain Therapy Animals in 1999, launched the first comprehensive literacy program built around the appealing idea of reading to dogs.
“Dogs are nonjudgmental,” Coffey tells Babble. “They don’t pick anything apart and they love you no matter what.”
Like many others, she feels that children who are struggling readers can experience a great deal of anxiety when they’re asked to read aloud. “But reading aloud in front of a dog? That’s a whole different story,” says Coffey. “That’s fun! It’s the opposite of intimidating — it feels safe and inviting.”
The dogs that are placed in these programs are certified therapy and reading-assistance dogs, with a whole lot of comfort and patience to give to the kids who saddle up next to them.
In Ryoko Matsui’s 1st and 3rd grade classrooms, a great big love of a dog named Duval has been nurturing struggling readers for some time with his commanding presence, goofball personality, everlasting patience, and unwavering love for kids.
The veteran teacher from Los Angeles says she would notice her students’ behavior and focus improving in the days leading up to Duval’s visit, because every child in the room longed for the chance to read to him.
“All animals are amazing, but Duval – he’s just so special,” Ms. Matsui shares in My Old Dog. “I had this one really, really shy boy, and Duval singled him out and put his head right on his lap. That little boy started laughing out loud. It was so heartwarming to me!”
It’s probably no wonder why the R.E.A.D. programs are so popular. After all, reading to dogs has been found to help boost kids’ confidence and get them excited about books. And as their reading skills increase and their confidence goes up, their stress goes down and they develop a greater love of learning.
“Teachers can see that their students feel more relaxed and confident about reading out loud in the presence of a sweet senior dog,” says Coffey. “This helps the students feel motivated to practice their reading for longer stretches of time.”
And talk about a group of motivated students. The kids at Roberts Road Elementary School in Texas, got a big dose of inspiration when they welcomed a dog with a bit of fame and notoriety into their classrooms years ago: Bretagne, the last known surviving 9/11 search dog from Ground Zero.
Though she sadly passed away this summer, Bretagne spent her retirement years as a reading assistance dog in several classrooms in the school. During her time there, she brought a calmness to the school with her ability to sense which students and teachers were having rough days, in much the same way she did for first responders at Ground Zero.
From her work as a 9/11 search & rescue dog, to helping kids learn to read — Bretagne lived a life of service. RIP https://t.co/EmT6gJyJLo
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) June 7, 2016
She was known to “almost select a child,” Shelley Swedlaw, a search-dog handler, shares in My Old Dog. Bretagne, like so many other reading assistance dogs, was just good at knowing who needed that kind, canine attention.
So it comes as no surprise to Coffey that this special bond between older dogs and younger children has such a powerful impact on all involved. “Students often clamor for the opportunity to practice their reading with dogs they love,” she tells Babble. “And the dogs love it, too — they get undivided attention and affection for the whole reading session!”
Sure sounds like a win-win to me!
You can learn more about the R.E.A.D. program by visiting IntermountainTherapyAnimals.org and read other inspiring stories of senior dogs in My Old Dog: Rescued Pets With Remarkable Second Acts.