Congratulations Spirit Ridge's "Ochi", RNMCL, RNT!
Spirit Ridge's "Jesse" Goes to the Movies!
Spirit
Ridge's 'Paws for Literacy®'
Programme
The
Spirit Ridge K9 Crew
Training videos and slideshows of our dogs
Client Testimonials and Newsprint Articles about Spirit Ridge
Important Reading:
Articles
of Interest to Dog 'Owners'!
Our
Rescued Friends' Hall of Fame
Our Partner
Links
In Memorium
"KOUKLA"
(1998-2011)
A
Tribute to Koukla's life
"TEQUILA"
(2005-2011)
'Paws for Literacy®' Programme
What do you get when you bring children, dogs and books together? You get happy, confident children who love to read. Teachers, Librarians, children and parents agree -- it's an unbeatable combination!
It
is with
In
libraries and schools across North America, a loyal and tireless group of
literacy volunteers are teaching kids to read. They don’t demand salary, they
never complain or show signs of boredom. They receive nothing more than a cookie
and a head scratch for their efforts. They are dogs, and they work miracles for
children’s literacy. Even kids who know how to read flock to these dogs just
for fun while growing their vocabulary and public speaking skills in the
process. The greatest beneficiaries, by far, are those who have obstacles to
reading and speaking.
In fact, golf great Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods is a famous example. The 'Tiger'
used to stutter; before facing a human audience, he would practice speeches and
presentations using his dog, Boom. He was building confidence with the help of
his dog and realized that if he could do it for Boom, he could also win the
people over.
Dogs provide an attentive, non-judgmental audience for young readers. They
don’t criticize or laugh. They don’t act bored, hurried and impatient. They
are there just to listen. Kids develop a love of reading while bonding
over a shared story. The
children's confidence and reading skills grow in a relaxing environment. It's
that simple.
Of
course, as an added bonus, children develop a healthy appreciation for dogs and
learn to interact with dogs in a positive, supportive situation – something
Spirit Ridge always strives for!
The Process
We are not just talking about any
dogs! Spirit Ridge K9 Training & Rescue pre-selected and invited a
dozen dogs and their handlers to an in-house selection process that occurred in
early January 2009 .......... (next page)
