# Reading "Paws" Program



## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

How can I get my Golden Retriever to listen to an Elementary School child read to her?


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I have seen that method and I'm very impressed but I have no idea how it is taught. My guess would be some rock solid "Down Stays". My two hooligans would never be able to do it at present. They both go bonkers for kids. :doh:


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## SoGolden (Jul 17, 2008)

Just my suggestion: Practice at home; with a child, just like you will do at school. Learn the behavior first. Next, practice it at school on a weekend without the crowd. Finally, go for it with kids and classroom. I think it's easier to learn new things in stages.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> I have seen that method and I'm very impressed but I have no idea how it is taught. My guess would be some rock solid "Down Stays". My two hooligans would never be able to do it at present. They both go bonkers for kids. :doh:


I have tried that with treat rewards. She eats and continues to try and get away.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> I have seen that method and I'm very impressed but I have no idea how it is taught. My guess would be some rock solid "Down Stays". My two hooligans would never be able to do it at present. They both go bonkers for kids. :doh:


Where have you seen that method?


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

SoGolden said:


> Just my suggestion: Practice at home; with a child, just like you will do at school. Learn the behavior first. Next, practice it at school on a weekend without the crowd. Finally, go for it with kids and classroom. I think it's easier to learn new things in stages.


Thanks for the suggestions. I really appreciate it. How can I practice at home with a child that I don't have? The school is about 45 minutes from my house.There are only 5 sessions left.


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## SoGolden (Jul 17, 2008)

Judi,
Would it be possible to meet with just one or two children at the school on the weekend or evening when the vacant classroom would be available? Perhaps work it out with the teacher. Even though only 5 sessions remain, there is still next Fall.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

SoGolden said:


> Judi,
> Would it be possible to meet with just one or two children at the school on the weekend or evening when the vacant classroom would be available? Perhaps work it out with the teacher. Even though only 5 sessions remain, there is still next Fall.


No. I don't think it would be possible to meet with just one or two children at the school on the weekend or evening when the vacant classroom would be available. Mapquest says it should take approximately 45 minutes to get there. Last Tuesday, it took an hour. I don't know how safe it would be to meet in a vacant classroom. Permission would have to be obtained from the parents or guardians. It is not a simple matter. I don't know the teacher.There is not next Fall. This is a 6 week Program after going to an hour Orientation held once a year.


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## Trids (Jan 22, 2009)

Just a thought...any friendly neighbors in your area with children that might like to help train a lovable golden?
-Trids


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## SoGolden (Jul 17, 2008)

Judi said:


> No. I don't think it would be possible to meet with just one or two children at the school on the weekend or evening when the vacant classroom would be available. Mapquest says it should take approximately 45 minutes to get there. Last Tuesday, it took an hour. I don't know how safe it would be to meet in a vacant classroom. Permission would have to be obtained from the parents or guardians. It is not a simple matter. I don't know the teacher.There is not next Fall. This is a 6 week Program after going to an hour Orientation held once a year.


Guess it's time to scrap the idea and move on to something else.


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## olik (Apr 13, 2008)

borrow neighbors child.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Trids said:


> Just a thought...any friendly neighbors in your area with children that might like to help train a lovable golden?
> -Trids


 People are busy.
This Golden is trained.
Her behavior with this program however, is not what she is usually like.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

SoGolden said:


> Guess it's time to scrap the idea and move on to something else.


I can't do that! I made a committment. I won't go back on my word. Everyone would be very upset, including me! Children's ability to read is at stake! I am not a quitter.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

olik said:


> borrow neighbors child.


They are busy.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

So what exactly is she doing or not doing?

Here's some things I was taught. If the book belongs to you, smear food on it so that the dog will be attracted to it. If not, you can still do this in practice with your book. I don't know the age of the children, but some dogs like those books that make noise. Use food and hide it behind a book and reward your dog for looking at the book. Also, you can teach your dog (if you haven't already) to place her head in someone's lap.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Over time she will learn to settle down. At home I would work on down/stay or sit/stay. The problem with some of the reading programs is that they are too long for the dogs. We do one at the local elementary school and it is only an hour. By the end of that hour, Danny is getting restless. When we do the Boys and Girls Club, the schedule is for 1 1/2 hours, but we normally only stay for about 45 minutes because the kids there are more restless and there are a lot more of them and the dogs get overwhelmed much more quickly.

Danny used to be difficult and wiggly. Now he normally lies down (or sits if he prefers, I want him to be comfortable) while the kids are reading. Jasper will roll over on his back and lie that way the entire time!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

It takes kind of a relaxed dog to enjoy doing the reading programs....a dog that is, by nature, one that likes to lay down and watch the world go by ---- Or a dog that has been trained to tolerate long extended downs with distractions.

It is not enough to just love kids. Dogs that go crazy for kids and wont lay still are not conducive to the calm-focus that kids in reading programs need. Does you regularly practice 30 minute down-stays at home?

If there are only 5 sessions left....and your pup is not a lay-down-by-nature kind of dog...and you dont have children to help you train with distractions - maybe it is time to gracefully back out and shoot for next year.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

GoldenSail said:


> So what exactly is she doing or not doing?
> 
> Here's some things I was taught. If the book belongs to you, smear food on it so that the dog will be attracted to it. If not, you can still do this in practice with your book. I don't know the age of the children, but some dogs like those books that make noise. Use food and hide it behind a book and reward your dog for looking at the book. Also, you can teach your dog (if you haven't already) to place her head in someone's lap.


She is not staying to listen to a child read to her.

The book does not belong to me.I am not bringing my books.One child is a second grader and the other child is a third grader. I don't get to select the books.I did use food as a reward. I can't hide it behind a book. The child is holding it and trying to read it. How can I teach my dog to place her head in someone's lap?


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

fostermom said:


> Over time she will learn to settle down. At home I would work on down/stay or sit/stay. The problem with some of the reading programs is that they are too long for the dogs. We do one at the local elementary school and it is only an hour. By the end of that hour, Danny is getting restless. When we do the Boys and Girls Club, the schedule is for 1 1/2 hours, but we normally only stay for about 45 minutes because the kids there are more restless and there are a lot more of them and the dogs get overwhelmed much more quickly.
> 
> Danny used to be difficult and wiggly. Now he normally lies down (or sits if he prefers, I want him to be comfortable) while the kids are reading. Jasper will roll over on his back and lie that way the entire time!


The program only has five more sessions. This program has 6 one hour sessions.She is restless from the beginning.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

LibertyME said:


> It takes kind of a relaxed dog to enjoy doing the reading programs....a dog that is, by nature, one that likes to lay down and watch the world go by ---- Or a dog that has been trained to tolerate long extended downs with distractions.
> 
> It is not enough to just love kids. Dogs that go crazy for kids and wont lay still are not conducive to the calm-focus that kids in reading programs need. Does you regularly practice 30 minute down-stays at home?
> 
> If there are only 5 sessions left....and your pup is not a lay-down-by-nature kind of dog...and you dont have children to help you train with distractions - maybe it is time to gracefully back out and shoot for next year.


Chloe is usually quite a relaxed dog. She seems to like to lay down and watch the world go by.She has been trained to tolerate long extended downs with distractions. It's hard to regularly practive 30 minute down-stays at home with three other pets around. I can not back out. I made a committment. They are counting on me. I might not be taken next year if I back out.


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

Maybe this is just not her "thing" then. Just like it takes a certain temperament to be a guide dog or therapy dog. Some are cut out for therapy work while others excel in the field or dog sports.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

She IS a Therapy Dog! She goes to a Nursing Home!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Just because she has passed the Therapy Dog test doesn't necessarily mean she can, or even should, be plopped into every therapy dog situation and be expected to enjoy it.
Some dogs hate the temperature in nursing homes and hospitals. 
Some cant stand the smells of a particular place...
Some cant handle the elevators required to get to the patients
Some get too distracted by any number or things in a particular place....

Be careful not to let your expectations and/or the expectations of others take priority over the capabilities/interest/desire/comfort of your girl. Ask anyone that trains for competition obedience....we regularly see handlers that have paid their entry fees in advance - 'hoping' their dog would be ready.... They go and the dog is stressed and performs poorly. The handler embarrassed... the dog gets frowns and sometimes less then gentle handling from their handler - Absolutely nothing has been gained....from what was supposed to be an enjoyable event showcasing the relationship between dog and handler.

Working with and living with dogs is about a relationship that is built on trust.
If Chole doesn't like the environment - you have two choices - Slowly train her to except it or find/stick with an environment that she already enjoys.

It doesn't mean that Chloe can never come to _really enjoy_ working in that specific environment. However, IMHO, forcing her to do so on a schedule is just not fair to the dog. Perhaps even more importantly, not fair to the children in the reading program who need a buddy to lay quietly while they use all their energy and focus on learning to read. It could even jeopardize the program if she is really stressed and causes a disruption.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

I didn't say she doesn't like the environment.
Quite the contrary. She seems to want to socialize.
She only has one session with one of the two children.
I will see how it goes this Tuesday.
Everyone there has been nice and given us encouragement.
If it doesn't improve at the last visit, perhaps I won't bring her next year.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Judi said:


> I didn't say she doesn't like the environment.
> Quite the contrary. She seems to want to socialize.
> She only has one session with one of the two children.
> I will see how it goes this Tuesday.
> ...


Today was the second session with both children.
It went so much better.
I was told that she is doing well and that she did well last week.
Chloe was less excited and even gave her paw to the children along with wagging her tail. I used a short leash which gave me more control and her less opportunity to explore. She seemed quite pleased as I am too.


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## SoGolden (Jul 17, 2008)

I'm so happy for you both! and for the students! This is great news.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Thank you. There are four more sessions scheduled.


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