R.E.A.D. to a Dog

Sign your kids up for both pet snuggles and a profound sense of confidence! Lincoln City Libraries partners with Healing Heart Therapy Dogs to offer the community a unique opportunity. Through the program R.E.A.D. to a Dog, kids from kindergarten through age 12 have the chance to read aloud to a certified Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.), granting them an invaluable experience shown to build confidence, fluency, and a long-lasting love for reading.

Marla Wademan, co-founder of Healing Heart Therapy Dogs, defines the key to the program’s success: “Our dogs are nonjudgmental. They don’t correct every word.” The dogs participating in the program are specially trained to be attentive listeners during children's storytelling. They stay calm and engaged, and may even offer a paw to help hold open a page or point to a word. Their attentiveness provides kids with the perfect audience for their reading. Wademan also highlights the calming effect animals have on children: “Petting an animal – it relieves your tension, lowers your blood pressure, and helps you feel comfortable with your surroundings.” The calming presence of the dogs creates a supportive atmosphere where kids can build confidence in their reading without fear of mistakes.

Tami Rust, a library service associate with Lincoln City Libraries, volunteers her dog, Snickers, for R.E.A.D to a Dog. She shared powerful stories about the impact of the program. One memorable participant, initially reluctant to tackle challenging books and struggling with comprehension, was able to read a non-fiction book above her grade level with ease by the following fall. This transformation and others like it, Tami believes, acts as a testament to the confidence children gain through the program. “I struggled with reading during elementary school,” she recalls. “I wish a program like R.E.A.D. to a dog was available to me as a kid.” Tami is one of many volunteers passionate about making a difference in young lives.

R.E.A.D. to a Dog fosters long-term growth in members of the Lincoln community. Ali Bousquet, youth services coordinator for Lincoln City Libraries, emphasizes the program’s role in building both fluency and confidence in its participants. “There’s research that shows it does both,” she says. Fluency is essential for reading success in school and beyond, and Ali notes that children who read at grade level in the early elementary years are more likely to thrive academically throughout their life. By helping kids build comfort with reading early on, R.E.A.D. to a Dog sets them up for improved comprehension and reading retention even through adulthood.

The R.E.A.D. to a Dog program is free and open to all children in the community. To maximize its impact, consistency is key. Children are encouraged to attend their weekly session for six consecutive weeks. This regular schedule helps them form a trusting relationship with the therapy dog – an essential component for their progress. Lincoln Libraries invites all to sign up this spring to experience the benefits of reading to these furry companions. 

Article contributed by:
Haley Walts, Intern, Lincoln City Libraries