Saturday, 11 July 2009
Paws to Read
It's the dog days. No, not the dog days of summer but rather Paws to Read. What's that? It's a popular program, nation wide, where children read to dogs. They're happy to be read to, and the children love to read to them. All the dogs are certified therapy dogs, selected for their calm natures and able to cope with excited children. The dogs peaceably listen to stories, never laughing at a mispronounced word. This July there are three sessions at the North County Branch library in Clinton, New Jersey, on July 11th, 18th, and 25th at 1:00 p.m.. Children's librarian, Jean Eldridge, is enthusiastic and welcoming.
It's a room full of kids and dogs, happily sprawled on the floor, reading and being read to.
The dogs come in all sizes, from Trigger, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a muscular breed
originally bred as draft animals used to pull carts, down to Heidi, a dainty little poodle.
Heidi and Patti are quite the fashionistas, with matching blouse and bow.
Good things come in small packages, and Heidi is very serious about her reader.
She seems to be telling me, "We're busy, don't disturb us with your picture-taking."
Trigger's happy with just one reader, and big enough to accommodate more.
(Cissy says she has two of these dogs at home, so placid that she tells
first-time visitors to watch out for the large furry "speed bumps")
.
Tucker, an elegant collie, attentively listens to a story while
another child strokes his lush fur, and Cathie also listens.
Duffy, Tucker's housemate, is also a Paws to Read dog.
He's big, but so gentle that this little boy is comfortable
reading to him while Clifford listens too.
Bonnie is smaller, but then, she's a shetland sheepdog. What a fluffy little dog, with a sweet face.
.
And then there's Shannon, a border collie with that 1,000 yard border collie stare
when something interesting comes along. I'm sure he is too young to read . . . .
but no matter, baby and dog are clearly simpatico, as dad and Melanie also enjoy,
but prudently supervise, the meeting. Baby clearly likes dogs. Books are next?
