Kids can ‘paws’ to read with pet pals

by Alicia Rudnicki, Library Mix

Dogs don’t read, but they love a good story. They are also great at motivating children to practice reading, according to the innovative organization Intermountain Therapy Animals.

Intermountain’s R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) program and organizations such as Denver Pet Partners team with libraries throughout the metro area to provide reading practice with registered therapy dogs and their owners.

This is how it works, according to Intermountain: While the child is reading to and petting the dog, the therapy dog owner, a trained volunteer, “speaks for …the dog” making comments such as “‘Rover has never heard that word before, Jimmy—can you tell him what it means?’”

Intermountain says this is a more comfortable way for kids to respond to questions that otherwise might put them on the spot. The organization adds that “little games” make the process even more fun such as having the dog “turn pages with his paw or nose” and letting the child “give the dog a treat after a certain number of pages.”

Here are some links that will connect you with calendar dates for metro libraries offering furry reading adventures this spring:

• Wagging Tales, Aurora Public Libraries,

• Paws to R.E.A.D. (in conjunction with Pet Partners), Bemis Library, Littleton,

• Bark for Books (R.E.A.D.), Douglas County Libraries,

• Paws to Read with Denver Pet Partners, Englewood Public Library

• Tales to Tails (with Pet Partners), Rangeview Library District

• Good Dog—R.E.A.D. Dog, Westminster Public Library.