Therapy Dog Reading Program

Siena and Drago
Wednesdays in July 10:30 to noon

The Therapy Dog Reading program is a non-threatening learning experience for the children, and a great boost to their self-esteem.  It helps the children develop self esteem, as well as improving their enunciation, vocabulary, and expressive oral reading skills. Therapy dogs come several Thursday afternoons each month, usually from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. Children may sign up for 15 minute slots to read to the dogs, by coming in to the Children’s Department, or calling 385-4165.

Reading to the dogs is especially meaningful to many types of children, including the following:

• Children who may feel nervous reading aloud to adults
• Children whose literacy skills may not be at grade level
• Children who have reading or speech difficulties
• Children from homes where another language is the dominant one, who are learning English
• Children who are afraid of other dogs find that these dogs are so very gentle and move so slowly, that they feel very safe with our therapy dogs.
• All of the above seem to feel very comfortable reading to the therapy dogs who are friendly, non-judgmental, and good listeners.

Then there are the children who are voracious readers and just love to read aloud to an appreciative audience!

Siena & Drago

Lauren Friedman and Chris Sweetwood, whose two American Kennel Club  Spinone Italiano dogs are certified therapy dogs with Therapy Dogs International, Inc. volunteered in the summer of 2008 to bring Siena and Drago for children to read to them, we were happy to accept their generous offer of time and attention. The dogs’ full names are: Siena Castellana Di Morghengo and Drago Castellano of Trollbo!

Therapy Dogs International, Inc. calls their program Tail Waggin’ Tutors    www.tdi-dog.org  Siena and Drago come several Thursday afternoons each month, usually from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. Children may sign up for 15 minute slots to read to the dogs, by coming in to the Children’s Department, or calling 385-4165.

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Stratford Library Association
2203 Main St., Stratford, CT 06615
203-385-4165