Arva Reyna and her therapy dog, Dixie

It all started with her own parents' support and encouragement of reading and today that inspiration has morphed into Arva Reyna "paying it forward" through the Austin Dog Alliance Bow Wow Reading Dog program.  Arva and Dixie, her five-year-old Terrier-Poodle mix rescue dog, are going on their third year of helping kids improve their reading skills and have seen the fruits of their labor.

"I've had a couple of students who admitted they didn't read at home, but as their comprehension improved, they commented they were reading at home," says Reyna.  "I had one student who actually improved her reading level by one grade!"

This is just one of many success stories of Bow Wow Reading, ADA's program designed to help below grade level readers improve their skills.  Bow Wow works on improving a child's reading and communication skills by employing a proven method:  reading to a dog.  It's actually quite simple - reading to a furry friend who is non-judgmental removes one of the biggest challenges facing young readers:  the embarrassment of making a mistake. 

Dixie's bookmark - given to her student readers

"I have witnessed children gain confidence and love to read," says Reyna.  "We had one student who was so shy we could barely hear him when he read out loud.  After telling him Dixie was having a hard time hearing him, he figured out that it was okay for him to have a voice."

Reyna and Dixie currently serve the Maplewood Elementary community as well as nursing homes and hospitals, all of which Reyna says feel the benefits of therapy dogs.

"Therapy dogs bring joy wherever they are.  They fill voids, heal hearts, and nurture a desire to learn," she says.  "Dixie keeps the students she is assigned to for the entire school year, resulting in a real bonding opportunity."

Arva's Volunteer of the Year award from Maplewood Elementary

Often confused with Service Dogs, which are trained to help people who need specialized assistance or who have disabilities, Therapy Dogs are instead trained to provide education, affection, and comfort to individuals in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.  It's an important role and the dog-gone truth is, it works! 

Studies show that dog ownership bodes well for a person's health and that interacting with dogs can help heart rates, stress levels, and blood pressure.  A UC-Davis study also showed that students who read aloud to dogs improved their reading skills 12% in ten weeks, while children who didn't read to dogs showed no improvement.  Even Ground Zero victims and first responders found comfort in canine friends.  Yes, man's best friend can roll over, shake, and fetch, but can also improve one's health and academic skills.

Candidates (both dogs and handlers) for ADA's Bow Wow Reading program need to be gentle, intuitive, calm, and tolerant.  Austin Dog Alliance teams currently serve Round Rock, Eanes, Georgetown, Jarrell, Austin, and Leander ISDs as well as Pflugerville, Round Rock, Wells Branch and Leander libraries.   

For more information on Austin Dog Alliance Bow Wow Reading Dogs, please contact us.      

What Is Agility?

a·gil·i·ty  [uh-jil-i-tee]

noun

1. the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness: exercises demanding agility.

2. the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly; intellectual acuity.

Granny Gene and Rasta on the dogwalk

Who can do Agility?  This summer we have had fun introducing the sport to our Camp participants.  Kids enjoyed navigating their dogs through obstacles on our 10,000 square foot fully-fenced K9 turf covered field.   

Not a kid anymore?  Check out my 73-year-old mom, Granny Gene, as she and Rasta tear up the course on Thursday nights.  OK, so they are not super fast, but they are having a great time and exercising both physically and mentally.

Our programs are designed to get you started and keep you challenged every step of the way: 

Agility 1: Introduction to the Equipment teaches you and your dog how to safely navigate all of the agility obstacles.    

Agility 2: Beginning Sequencing helps you learn handling skills necessary to move quickly and smoothly through obstacles.    

Agility 3: Running Full Courses is where you and your dog put it all together.     

Summer camper Savannah works with Gracie in "Fungility", designed especially for kids

There's even a new "Fungility" course  - designed specifically for beginner kids ages 9-13.

In addition to Agility, we have many other classes starting soon, including Dog Manners, K9 Nose Work, Tricks, Pet Therapy, Puppy Power Hour, Reactive dog Rehab, and more.   

As summer camps come to a close, we'll return to daytime dog training classes again in September.  No matter what your schedule is, there's a class that will be convenient for you! 

Check out our course schedule and register today!