Lending a Helping Paw: Dogs Better Students' Reading

May 9, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- “I’m reading magic schoolbus in a beehive,” said Jerred Lakey, a third grader at Bond Mill Elementary School. He’s part of a program that’s helping kids like him learn to read better.

It’s called DEAR or dogs educating and assisting readers. DEAR was founded by Fido’s for Freedom, an organization that provides service dogs and therapy dogs for people with disabilities or for those in healthcare facilities.

At Bond Mill Elementary, seven dogs join the students once a week for a reading session.

“I’m reading to a dog named Nicolas … and I call him Nic,” said eight-year-old Lakey. “He actually is a very good listener.”

“For the children it gives them an extra 45 minutes of reading a week,” said Noreen Javornik, Program Coordinator for DEAR.

DEAR volunteers say the dogs help create a relaxed and friendly learning environment.

“Well for one thing there’s not another child nearby so it gives them a quiet place to read,” said Javornik. “There’s nobody else to be critical or to make fun of them.”

That helps kids like Lakey, who said he used to have a hard time reading. He now says he reads a lot faster when he reads to Nic, a five-and-a-half year old certified Border Collie.

For the students in the program, it’s not just about spending some extra time reading. These students say they have no problem giving up their recess to spend time reading with dogs.

“Dogs give an unconditional love. They love you if you do it well, if you don’t do it so well. If you make a mistake, it doesn’t really matter,” said Debbie Taylor, a volunteer with DEAR. “They’re not there to judge you. They’re just there to be a companion, to be with you. And that’s a good feeling when you’re learning.”

Before being accepted into the DEAR program, each dog is tested for personality, and obedience. That helps ensure the dogs are well socialized and improved their training levels.

Then at the beginning of the school year, teachers and parents determine which students could benefit from some extra reading time.

Bond Mill Elementary School has been participating in the DEAR program for more than two years. During that time the school’s principal, Justin Fitzgerald, says they’ve developed a waiting list of students who want to enter the program.

“Parents who are just begging for us to allow their child to be on the program,” said Fitzgerald. “Unfortunately there’s a limited number of spots so that if we could put all 650 students in we would, however we don’t have 650 dogs”

Javornik says the reading skills of the student she and her Corgy work with have noticeably improved.

“For Amora it’s mostly that her reading comprehension has gotten better,” said Javornik. “She’s understanding what she’s reading and she’s trying to sound out words a lot more than she did before.”

Taylor says the improvements are because of the dogs and the special bonds students develop with them.

“It’s kind of like building a friendship up with somebody,” said Taylor. “The dogs aren’t really dogs … they’re like people to these kids.”

DEAR is one of the first programs of its kind in the country and provides assistance in Baltimore and Washington DC. In the past two years, thousands just like it have sprouted up around the country.

One such organization is Intermountain Therapy Animals. Those teams work with students throughout the U.S. and Canada.

For more information on the DEAR program log on to FidosforFreedom.com. If you're interested in starting a reading program in your community, log on to therapyanimals.org.

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