[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or many children, learning how to read in a public setting can be a nerve-wracking experience. A fear of being judged based on how they perform is often a reality.
With the help of a local pooch, an Austin-area organization hopes to make reading a much more paws-itive experience for Buda residents.
Lillian Sikorski, of Wimberley, along with her five-year-old golden retriever, Samson, have spent Monday afternoons at the Buda Public Library listening to children read without judgment.
The duo is part of the Bow Wow Reading Dog program, which is done through the Austin Dog Alliance.
“We go to schools and libraries and kids read to him which increases their reading skills in an environment where they won’t be judged and they have a patient audience,” Sikorski said.
According to the ADA website, the Bow Wow program is where “non-judgmental therapy dogs” listen to “at-risk students reading aloud.” The dogs are paired with handlers who are also educated on how to help at-risk readers learn how to read. The Bow Wow teams volunteer their time at local elementary schools, self-contained classrooms, libraries, after-school programs and college campuses.
Sikorski, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, said Samson has been a certified therapy dog through Austin Dog Alliance for about a year now.
Sikorski said she was interested in having Samson involved with the Wimberley Library, but as they already had a therapy dog, she decided to approach the Buda Public Library about the therapy team going there.
But Sikorski said not every dog is equipped to be a therapy dog.
“Samson had to go through various tests with people, kids, loud noises and commotion to become certified as a therapy dog.”
Lillian Sikorski, Samson's dog trainer
Sikorski said Samson is a therapy dog, which differs from a service dog. Samson is not asked to perform specific specialized services for disabled handlers such as opening doors or switching on lights.
According to the ADA website, a Bow Wow Reading Dog must meet certain requirements to participate in the program.
The therapy reading dogs must be “calm, quiet, attentive and comfortable in low-key settings,” as well as being tolerant of large crowds of rambunctious kids who may be pulling, tugging and handling the dog exuberantly.
And although the website classifies Bow Wow Reading Dogs as therapy for “at-risk” readers, Sikorski said all children are welcome to read to Samson as it may help more than just the reader.
“One day we were here there was an advanced reader who wanted to read to Samson, so while we were reading, his little brother, who didn’t read in public, became interested and sat down with us,” Sikorski said, “He then asked if he could read to Samson and his mother started crying, because he had never had the confidence to read aloud in public before then.”
The therapy dog craze has caught on in other parts of Central Texas where people realize the healing effect of dogs on stressful situations.
In Dripping Springs, the REDy to Read program, which is part of RED Arena, allows readers of all ages and skill levels to read aloud to a horse.
In addition, Divine Canines in the Central Texas area has partnered with Texas State University to provide a group of therapy dog teams to the Alkek Library during finals week to help students relax.
“Dogs are special,” Sikorski said, “They love to be loved and they support us when we need it most.”
Interested?
Readers are welcome to come read with Samson on Mondays from 4-5:15 p.m. at the Buda Public Library on a first-come, first-serve basis.
