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Local Breeder Donates to Reading Program

by Leah Miller, Equity Reporter

CLARENDON - A local dog breeder has donated a pup whose future will be devoted to helping children learn to read.

Paws "R" Us Kennels donated an eight-week-old female standard poodle-airedale cross to a registered therapy dog team.

Chantel Moore, an executive secretary at the Western Québec School Board, volunteers for Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ). It is a pilot program where kids can improve reading and communication skills by reading to a dog.

"I've seen the progress," said Moore. "I've seen kids who have not known their alphabet move onto reading on their own."

But not just any dog can be used in this program, and that's where Paws "R" Us comes in.

"Moore contacted us to see if we knew of a breed that would be hypoallergenic for the program," said breeder Danielle Labombard. "And we decided we would donate a dog."

Labombard suggested a standard poodle because their fur is hypoallergenic and non-shedding.

The program, free to children, says animals are ideal reading companions because they help increase relaxation and lower blood pressure, listen attentively, don't judge or criticize, let children read at their own pace and are less intimidating than peers.

To become a registered therapy dog, it must be trained and tested for health, safety appropriate skills and temperament.

"We have to ensure the safety of the children," said Moore. "I have to spray the dog with a hypoallergenic spray, brush its teeth, trim its nails and give it a bath every morning before we go."

Training, run by Ottawa Therapy Dogs, takes about one year. The dog learns certain tricks to make it seem like the dog is listening.

"The dog will put its head on a child's knee or look at the book," said Moore. "It makes reading more fun and takes the pressure off. It makes reading a more positive experience."

Moore has been volunteering her time and her half-spaniel and half-shelty dog Chelsea to the READ program for over a year now for three children at Lord Aylmer School (formerly St. Mark's School) in Gatineau.

"We go in once a week on Friday mornings," said Moore. "It's one-on-one with about 30 minutes for each student. Chelsea really likes having kids read to her."

She said teachers choose books suited to the student's reading level. Ottawa Therapy Dogs also covers training costs, registration and provides books to children who attain certain reading goals.

"The kids feel really fortunate to read to Chelsea," said Moore.

The U.S.-founded program started in 1999 and has only been introduced into two Canadian schools - the one in Aylmer and another in Arnprior.

"Chelsea is 12-years-old so I came looking for a new puppy to train," said Moore on why she contacted Paws "R" Us. "She's still healthy and will continue as long as she can, but this dog will take her place."

Moore has also been picked for a scholarship to attend READ's first conference in Salt Lake City later this month. There she will will train to become Canada's first READ instructor.

"I'll learn to teach other teams the program," she said.

Moore's goal in the meantime is to train her new pup and create interest within other schools and volunteers.

"We all had reading problems," said kennel owner Charlene Labombard of her family and why she wanted to donate a dog to the program.

Moore picked up the pup April 29 from the kennel.