LIBRARY DOGS.COM
"Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier."
Kathleen Norris
| All-Around READing Dogs | ||
| Ohio ~ The Dogs of Angel Paws |
Yankee welcomes a friend. Yankee is a Greyhound. Sometimes called “the world’s fastest couch potato,” Greyhounds are quiet, calm, and well-mannered indoors. Outdoors, they tend to chase any small thing that moves. Although built for speed, the greyhound is a sprinter, not an endurance runner. It’s daily exercise needs can be met by a chance to run or by a longer walk on a leash. It is said that General George Custer was very fond of coursing breeds (Greyhounds, Staghounds) and traveled with a pack of about 40. President Rutherford B. Hayes had a Greyhound named Grim. Yankee never raced because he has epilepsy. Like many Greyhounds, he has a particularly calming “Zen-like” quality; unlike most dogs, he LOVES to take baths! Maybe he’ll be incorporated into the Angel Paws training program to influence the other dogs (and children, too)! Yankee visits children and adults at New Beginnings Domestic Violence Shelter and has helped children with learning differences such as AD/HD and dyslexia improve their reading skills at Kairos Academy. Yankee also serves as the “Neutral Dog” for Delta Pet Partner evaluations and has proved to be invaluable in that regard.
Chance gives everyone another chance to read. Chance is a mixed breed dog with some Labrador in her. She got her name ("2nd Chance") after nearly being killed in two different dog attacks. She’s still sweet as pie, although a little leery of other dogs, after temporarily being completely paralyzed in her hind quarters. She lives out in the country and enjoys long walks through the woods. Chance also visits children and adults at New Beginnings Domestic Violence Shelter and has helped children with learning differences such as AD/HD and dyslexia improve their reading skills at Kairos Academy.
Lady enjoys storytime. |
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Angel Paws Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy was created in 2003 when its founder, Patti Shanaberg, discovered there were no organized pet therapy programs in the rural area of Ohio she had moved to a couple of years before. As of January 2007 Angel Paws has trained and registered 26 Delta Society Pet Partners® animal/handler volunteer teams and 7 R.E.A.D.® teams who have provided over 1,200 documented hours of therapeutic health care visitation and literacy mentoring sessions at 9 local facilities. Soon after becoming a R.E.A.D. affiliate, the group’s first literacy mentoring program for students with dyslexia and other learning challenges was begun. Next in their list of activities came “Puppy Tales with Angel Paws/READ,” which debuted at the Newark Public Library in 2006. In addition to the benefit of having children look forward to reading, the goal of letting them read to dogs in the library’s Puppy Tales program was to improve their reading fluency, reading comprehension, and self-confidence.
Samantha ("Sami"), the founder of Angel Paws. Samantha (Sami) is probably a mix of Golden Retriever, Border Collie, and Samoyed. She was named “Prozac” for the first few weeks after being adopted from a shelter in Los Angeles, because she was such a joy, but “Samantha” seemed to suit to her personality better. Sami visits several health care facilities, including Hospice and New Beginnings Domestic Violence Shelter, and she has helped children with learning differences such as AD/HD and dyslexia improve their reading skills at Kairos Academy. Sami also does "Lil Puppy Tales” story time for pre-schoolers once a month at Indian Mound Mall’s Lil Planet Kid. Children adore her silky fluffy coat and sometimes leave with a good deal of it clinging to their sleeve from constant petting while reading. In addition to people of all kinds and ages, Sami adores playing with other dogs, squeaky toys—the louder the better—and tennis balls.
Ollie and his reading buddy. Ollie is a Portugese Water Dog. The PWD once existed all along Portugal’s coast, where it was taught to herd fish into nets, retrieve lost nets or other equipment, and serve as a boat-to-boat courier. This breed has webbed feet and a profuse non-shedding, non-allergenic, waterproof coat. PWDs are fun-loving, family-loving, water-loving dogs that get along good with children and other dogs and pets. They are sensitive and respond well to direction, and are a good breed for an active person wanting an adventurous, affectionate, robust partner. Ollie actually lives on a working farm but is lucky enough to spend the winters in Florida. He surprised his owners one day by dragging a baby doe right into the living room—very proud of himself!—so he’s a lot stronger than he looks. Ollie visits Autumn Health Care and has helped children with learning differences such as AD/HD and dyslexia improve their reading skills at Kairos Academy. |
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Lady is a Leonberger, a breed that originated in Germany as a result of breeding Newfoundlands, St. Bernards, and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs with the goal of producing a lion-like dog. They are very large, up to 100 pounds, and an adult dog can easily see eye-to-eye with a 5- or 6-year-old child. Lady is the youngest of the Angel Paws READ dogs. She will be 2 years old in May 2007. She absolutely LOVES children, but forgets her size sometimes! She loves the cold weather, too, and must actually be coaxed in from the snow with treats, even if icicles are hanging off of her. In addition to being read to by children, Lady visits patients at Flint Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. |
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