Paw Tales | PETS
http://www.facebook.com/petsmagazine August 67
The program was based on the successful
American literacy program R.E.A.D (Reading
Education Assistance Dogs), which began
almost 20 years ago in Utah and now has
3000 therapy teams going strong.
Story Dogs coordinator for Melbourne,
Suzanne McCourt, volunteers with her
dog Barney at Sandringham East Primary
School and says she’s witnessed dramatic
improvements in her children’s reading since
they started with the special doggy book time.
Many make leaps and bounds through
the literacy levels, with some beginning
to read for their own enjoyment at home.
“There are dramatic, spectacular rises,
children becoming really competent
readers,” Suzanne says.
Her dog Barney was a boisterous
foster dog that has mastered his naughty
behaviour with good training and love. Now
he’s helping children fi nd focus for reading.
Some children in the program have had trouble
learning to read because of autism or ADHD
(attention-defi cit hyperactivity disorder), while
others need the positive one-on-one connection
with a dog due to emotional and social trauma
suff ered from situations such as losing a parent.
What’s fascinating is that the benefi ts
work both ways, with the dogs enjoying the
experience as much as the kids. “I wasn’t
prepared for how much the dogs love it,” Suzanne
says. “When we get near the school, Barney starts
sitting up and squeaking. And the minute his
little coat is put on, he gets really excited.”Louise and her Labradoodle, Sadie
When Louise Budd retired as a public servant
working in taxes and accounting, she had
time to devote to something she’s always
been passionate about: dogs and children.
She and her Labradoodle Sadie visit four
children in grade two at Laburnum Primary
School. “I’d recently retired and I saw an ad
for Story Dogs. It asked for someone who
liked working with children, had a good
dog and liked books, and that ticked all the
boxes for me,” Louise says.
Louise and Sadie had a meet and greet
with the local coordinator to see if they were
both suited for the role.“You can have a lovely dog but if they’re a
little too happy, they might just need to get
a little older,” she says. “They need to check
that the potential volunteer is prepared for
the time commitment because the children
come to rely on the dog coming.”
Sadie is 11 and she and Louise spend two
hours each week at their school reading with
the chosen children. “She’s very easy-going; her
overriding characteristic is eager-to-please,”
Louise says. “Sometimes she falls asleep and
the child might notice and I say, ‘I’ll wake her
up and maybe you can try that page again’.”
Louise says the benefi t isn’t just the game
of reading to an animal; it’s a chance to be
aff ectionate with a friendly dog. “Some children
get a lot out of the touch, rubbing behind
the ear, or the game of reading to the dog,
explaining the story like they’re the teacher.
That’s really sweet,” she says.
One of Louise’s children has a language
disorder and was fi nding reading diffi cult to
master in the group setting of the classroom.
“I think she really benefi ted from the quiet
time, the one-on-one time,” she says.
Another girl began the year with Louise
and Sadie as very shy and reserved. “She made
very little eye contact. Her reading wasn’t the
biggest problem. It was her confi dence. ButA dog can be a great reading companion.PLF070_pg066-068_Story Dogs.indd 67PLF070_pg066-068_Story Dogs.indd 67 6/28/2017 2:00:05 PM6/28/2017 2:00:05 PM