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May 24, 2004

Therapy dogs prove to be young readers' best friends

Like any skill, when you've just learned to read, you need to practice. About two years ago, Margaret Poska, children's librarian at the Fremont Public Library District in Mundelein, read about a library that set up opportunities for young children to read to dogs.

"It sounded so cool," Poska said, "and I just knew that we could do something similar."

The library launched a pilot Read to Rover program in the summer of 2002. It was such a success that it inspired a successful grant initiative and has become an ongoing program with three six-week sessions scheduled in the spring, summer and fall of each year.

Here's the way it works: Four dogs and their owners occupy the corners of the library's program room. Each dog is paired with a child, who gets to relax in a beanbag chair and read aloud for 15 minutes. The dogs stay for a total of an hour and a half, which means that 24 youngsters have a chance to read to the dogs. Parents are not present in the room.

"The atmosphere is fun and casual," said Poska. "Dogs are very accepting and don't care if the kids make mistakes."

Two therapy dog organizations are supporting the library in this effort: Rainbow Animal-Assisted Therapy of Chicago, and Paws with a Purpose of Elgin. Both organizations send dog teams to a wide range of facilities including hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and now libraries.

"Therapy dogs lift the spirits and give emotional support," Poska said, while pointing out that these are not assistance dogs, like those that live with the blind or hearing impaired. "Therapy dogs tend to be family pets that are specially-trained and enjoy making visits with their owners."

Collies, huskies, golden retrievers and mixed breeds are most frequently seen at the library. Poska personally meets with the dog teams in advance to make sure that both the owners and the dogs really like kids. All of the dogs are certified and have passed the tests for temperament and obedience set up by Therapy Dogs International. Poska said that it typically takes a session or two before the dog figures out that a visit to the library will not be hard work.

"Some dogs just sleep but some actually put their noses in the book and seem to be looking at the pictures. But all of them enjoy the attention," Poska said.

Children who participate must be at least 7 years old. Poska encourages kids to bring a favorite book or to select a book from a display she arranges. While reading practice is the primary activity, youngsters also get tips on approaching new animals and observe from their owners how to treat them with respect.

It was my pleasure to participate in a Read to Rover session at the Fremont Public Library. I read to Callie and Kirby and enjoyed it very much. I found myself petting the dogs as I read. The dogs were so comfortable and accepting it really did make reading more fun than usual. View my visit beginning in mid-June on our cable TV show, "What's New in Libraries." Consult this Web site for channels and times in your area: www.whatsnewinlibraries.org.

The summer session of Read to Rover at the Fremont Public Library will begin June 9. Sign up now by visiting the library at 1170 N. Midlothian Road in Mundelein. For information, call (847) 918-3218. The sessions are free and open to all.

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