Therapy Dogs Get Kids Excited to Read

is making reading fun in a program that allows children to read to certified therapy dogs.

Paws to Read was launched about five years ago, said Kristen Church, youth services librarian.

Mary Kleiss and Mary Karakas of the Southern Michigan Obedience Training Club bring their dogs to the library for reading sessions once a month during the school year and twice a month during the summer.

"It's just to help improve (kids) reading and make it more enjoyable," Karakas said.

Karakas' dog Gracie and Kleiss' dog Brewster typically relax on the floor right next to each kid during the 10-minute reading sessions. Church and Karakas said the presence of the dogs gets kids excited to read.

"When kids are learning to read, a lot of times they are reading to someone who is correcting them," Church said. "No one is judging them. They can just practice their reading and there is no pressure."

Brewster and Gracie have been obedience-trained and tested through Therapy Dogs International. They are provide comfort and companionship while visiting school children, hospital patients and nursing home residents.

Karakas and Kleiss, both of Royal Oak, take the dogs to facilities in the area to spread joy and smiles.

"It relaxes them," Karakas said. "You can see how they change when they are petting the dogs. It's really soothing actually."

Kleiss said some patients and nursing home residents are non-responsive to caretakers, however, when the dogs visit, they show more expression. When the therapy dogs visit classrooms, Karakas said students are more receptive to doing their work.

Kleiss and Karakas usually spend about 90 minutes at Blair Memorial Library each time they visit. Church said they offer the volunteer service at no charge to the library or the kids.

Parents can register their kids for Paws to Read by stopping in the library or calling 248-588-5500. The next Paws to Read program will be July 27.