Young readers appreciate tail-wagging audience

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The audience drooled on his every word.

Bricen Potter, a second-grader at Harmony Elementary School in Buford, read from an astronomy book, leaning back on the sofa in the media center.

He and classmate Ryder Kepley had just read a few pages to Murdock, a 9-year-old golden retriever. Murdock, lying at their feet, listened attentively as if someday he hoped to work for NASA.

"It's just fun reading to a dog," Bricen said, collecting his book as a new set of children filed in for their turn. They could not resist petting Murdock before getting down to business.

"It's hard for some students to read in front of others," said teacher Mary McElroy. "The dogs don't criticize. They sit and listen and love the attention."

While it may not be the greatest classroom innovation since the overhead projector, McElroy said the "Doggy Tales" program introduced at Harmony six years ago gets results.

"I tracked it one of the first years we did it, and the kids [who were below their level] bumped up a whole grade level," she said. "One little girl [in special education] wouldn't talk. She talked to the dog, but she wouldn't talk to people."

McElroy, who owns competition obedience dogs, said it only made sense to mesh her hobby with work because children love animals.

She read up on what qualifications a dog would need, drew up the paperwork and presented it to her principal. Her program has since spread to several other schools and to five Gwinnett branch libraries.

The dogs and their handlers are from the local chapter of Therapy Dogs International. Before the canines can be certified to work with children, they must pass a battery of tests.

They must be able to remain calm in stressful situations, like crowds or amid sudden noises, or when other animals approach. They must also pass a regimen of obedience tests, including remaining in place with a tray of food sitting nearby.

If a dog can do that, the theory goes, it can overlook a few mispronounced words.

Gene Ziegler, a retired Harmony teacher, brings Murdock around about twice a month to participate in the program.

"It makes the kids feel comfortable," he said, "and they want to share facts, share their story and talk."

The animals must be clean and free of disease. It also helps if they're good to look at.

Charles Baranowski's two Dalmatians, Dottie and Pinto, fit the bill nicely. In addition to the three schools they visit regularly, the canines serve as therapy dogs at more than a dozen facilities a month.

"Even the students who have no problem reading want to read to the dogs," said Baranowski of Lawrenceville. "But it seems the kids that are scared to read open up after a couple of times. They'll start reading out loud instead of just reading to themselves."

The program draws children to Gwinnett County Library branches in Buford, Mountain Park, Dacula, Suwanee and Grayson on alternating Saturdays of the month.

"They connect in their own unique way, resulting in special bonds and great library experiences," said library executive director Nancy Stanbery-Kellam. " That and an occasional wet nose kiss, what could be better?"

Karen Harris, Norcross branch manager, said the Gwinnett County Public Library held a special Thera Paws program at that branch in January. The program was a huge success with predominantly Spanish-speaking families who were visiting the library for the first time, she said. The library provided bilingual books from its collection for the families to enjoy.

"While it was not quiet in the building with 130 attendees," Harris said, "it provided a mellow, stress-free introduction to the public library in Gwinnett County."

McElroy herself enjoys getting in on the action with her three golden retrievers: Daisy, Leo and Haven.

"The dogs love the kids, and the kids can tell that," she said. "There's something magical that happens between kids and dogs."

Harmony second-grader Noah Cole agreed.

"It's like, a dog can actually hear, just like my cats at home," he said.