Dogs help young readers develop confidence

Next time you visit the Whitefish Community Library, be on the lookout for paw prints that lead to the southeast corner of the building. There, dogs are hitting the books.

Well, teams of dogs with handlers are listening to children read books. The program is called Reading Education Assistance Dogs, or R.E.A.D., and was launched by Intermountain Therapy Animals, a nonprofit based in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1999.

According to Intermountain Therapy Animals, the results of the R.E.A.D. program are significant. They say participants make enormous strides in reading and communication skills while building self esteem, confidence and social skills.

The dogs in the program are trained and tested. Along with their human partners, they visit schools and libraries to serve as reading companions for children.

Susie Gonaver of Whitefish is with the Flathead area chapter of R.E.A.D. and the local coordinator for the program. She and her dog, Andy, are one of the teams that visit the Whitefish Community Library.

“We strive to provide a comfortable reading environment for all children. A dog doesn’t laugh at you, make fun of you, or make you feel bad,” Gonaver said of the program. “Our goal is to provide that for the children in our community.”

Nine human/dog R.E.A.D. teams volunteer at the library each Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. to read with children. The program runs year-round except for a one month break in August.

“Usually we have one team that reads with the children and one that facilitates things in the library,” Gonaver said. “Passing out brochures to new parents or getting permission slips signed. Just interacting with people that are here and children that didn’t sign up to read but want to say hi to a dog.”

Parents can sign a child up for a ten minute time slot to read with a team. There is a cozy blanket on the floor, children sit with the dog and a good book and commence reading.

While the kids usually pick out their own book to read, Gonaver brings a collection of dog books, including “Clifford the Big Red Dog” and “Go, Dog. Go!”, just in case.

Sometimes, the handler will tell the child that the dog likes to see the pictures in the book, so the child will hold the book for them and sometimes, Andy will hold the page with his paw.

“I'll say, 'Oh, can you tell Andy what that word means?’ so they’re talking to the dog about what they’re reading,” Gonaver said. “Sometimes, if they stumble on a word, I'll say, ‘Maybe Andy can help you.’ And I'll lean over and say, ‘Andy thinks that maybe the word could be…’”

The R.E.A.D. program is a special one for the volunteers and their many regulars.

R.E.A.D. volunteer Kim Gilmore and her dog, Dagny, were listening to six-year-old Sawyer Menning last week at the Whitefish Library. Sawyer and Dagny were all smiles as the kindergartner read from the colorful pages of her book.

“I think it's an amazing program and it gives kids a really good boost of confidence,” said Nikki Menning, Sawyer’s mother. “We sign up every week. She gets excited every time it’s Tuesday.”

Menning said the program has good dogs and trainers and that her family has enjoyed reading with them.

Gonaver, who has a background in education, always knew that her dog, Andy, would be a good therapy dog. The two have enjoyed volunteering at the library. She said the program allows children the freedom to be who they are and to read at their own level.