Read me a story!

Written by Jason McKinney, this was published in the Spring 2008 issue of The Colorado Dog Magazine.

Woof! Woof! Read me a story!

One of the most difficult things for a child learning to read can be the self-consciousness felt when reading aloud to others. The ARF program (Afternoon Reading Fun) helps to alleviate this problem by allowing children to read out loud to a canine friend. Consequently, they feel a little more relaxed and have fun at the same time. “When talking with parents, they indicate that because the program is fun, it helps reluctant readers get excited about books,” said Sarah Johnson, Assistant Librarian at the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Library, located in Broomfield. Both the Broomfield and Longmont Public Libraries feature similar reading programs.

“This [type] of program most likely originated with Therapy Dogs International“, revealed Lesley Clayton, Manager of Children’s Services at the Broomfield Public Library. Clayton elaborated that the program is done differently in various places and she had always wanted to do it at Mamie Doud but could never find an available dog. Everything changed last summer when Samantha Bloodworth, a recent transfer from Tucson, Arizona, contacted Clayton about her dog, Shiva. Shiva was certified by Therapy Dogs International and now makes the ARF program a reality. She has been certified for a year and a half now and has fit into the program really well. Shiva knows how to listen quietly without correcting or judging. Her previous experience includes working in the Tucson-Pima public libraries in a similar capacity. According to her owner, “Shiva [likes to] get out of the house and gets to interact with children and adults…she loves the extra petting and attention from the children. It also gives us a chance to practice obedience training.”

Broomfield offers their program on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 4:00 pm – 4:00 pm. The kids that participate seem to love the experience. “Whenever Shiva walks into the library, all of the kids get excited and their eyes light up…they all want to pet her,” said Johnson. Ranging in age from 1st to 5th grade, the idea is that the children’s confidence and reading skills will grow by sharing stories with the dog in a relaxed environment. “Children who might be hesitant or shy about their reading abilities feel more at ease reading to a dog who just listens and doesn’t judge their efforts,” said Clayton. No registration is required, but space is limited. Participants can bring their own books or choose one from the library.

The Therapy Dogs International websie is endlessly useful when it comes to offering testimonials about this program, which has been practiced all over the country. You can access their site at http://www.tdi-dog.org/childrenreadingtodogs.htm for more information.

The Longmont Public Library’s program, which is similar to ARF, is called DEAR (Dogs Enjoy Afternoon Reading), and takes place once a month on Saturday afternoons. Their dogs are accredited through the Delta Society, a non-profit dog certification program that encourages canine community service is based in Washington State.

DEAR – Longmont Public Library
(Dogs Enjoy Afternoon Reading)
303-651-8477
www.ci.longmont.co.us/library

ARF – Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library
720-887-2300
www.ci.broomfield.co.us/library

Pawfriendly Landscapes

I came across this interesting ad in The Colorado Dog Magazine…

Click here to take you to the website.

Great Dog Toys

Inspired by my puppies who, to their delight, have discovered their own interactive playground – digging holes under the fencing in their rather large pen! – this fine morning I’m spending a little time investigating interactive toys.  Their pen is beginning to look like a boulder field! I’m able to contain them using large rocks to prevent digging, but obviously a little mental stimulation would be beneficial.

The Buster Cube was one of the first, if not the first, interactive dog toy.

Designed for rugged play, the owner loads up the cube with kibble. As described on the Buster Cube homepage, “The Buster FoodCube and the Buster MiniCube are ingenious toys for mental stimulation of your dog and a fun way to utilize excess energy in a natural way!” To release the food, bite by bite, the dog pushes and turns the cube. What a perfect way to feed the dog left home alone.  Or to feed a trio of scheming sisters!

The Dogzilla Deep Freeze works like an ice tray and is availabe in two shapes, the Arcic Bone and the Arctic Pop. The molds and bases are made of non-toxic, durable rubber and can be used over and over again. Chicken broth could be used instead of water, perhaps adding pieces of meat prior to freezing.

The Bob-A-Lot has the same premise as the Buster FoodCube, but a different shape.

The bottom is weighted so that it rolls erratically and always bobs back upright. It also has an adjustable opening so you can control the difficulty level.

The Hi Q Puzzle is made of durable brightly colored puzzle pieces that link together to create a variety of fun shapes. The rounded orb-sections can be filled with treats. You can create individual puzzles or link it all together.

The Dog Pyramid Toy is shaped like a beehive with a weighted bottom. Kibble or treats are loaded through the hole near the top of the toy. It’s dishwasher safe, top rack.

There’s an interesting product line by Nina Ottosson, games to stimulate your dog’s brain. 

Not sure I’ll get any of the Nina Ottosson puzzles…my puppies seem to be thinking creatively already. But I am going to give one or more of the other products a try.

Debby on…critiques

A few days ago, organizing some memorbilia for my Library of Memories, I can upon a critique of the June 17, 1989 Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club Specialty. Some of you may have heard stories about this Specialty. It was held in a bar. The judge was Jo Ann Rogers. Finding the critique triggered memories, including those of Jo. You see, she was mom’s really good friend. Jo lived in Kansas. They talked on the phone weekly. As a kid, when mom took me to the Wichita dog shows, we stayed with Jo in her lovely home. She was a great storyteller. Many nights we stayed up until the wee hours, tears from laughter rolling down our faces. I had actually forgotten she judged the Specialty in the bar. Jo and mom used to joke about going to the nursing home together. They’d find one that served cocktails at 5 and allowed dogs. Or at least Standard Poodles!

This photo of Jo was taken at mom’s house. She’s critiquing a litter of Standards, bred by mom. That’s my sister Kelly handling the puppy Jo’s going over. Note the black poodle ‘hex sign’ in the gable of mom’s grooming shop.

 And here’s her Specialty critique…

True Tibetan Terriers?

Recently Andrea shared this article, from the Tibetan Terrier Association’s Journal, with me.  Not pictured in the article, this link takes you to photos of a Tibetan Terrier bitch imported into Europe. I’m curious what the rest of you think… 

Here’s a photo of a male down from her…