<![CDATA[R.E.A.D. Dogs Minnesota

<![CDATA[R.E.A.D. Dogs Minnesota - News & Updates]]>Sun, 13 May 2012 15:01:16 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Congratulations to Jen & Willow!]]>Fri, 11 May 2012 06:13:21 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2012/05/congratulations-to-jen-willow.html

Jennifer Hicks and Willow, her Golden Retriever, were recognized in an award ceremony for their help with young readers at Minnewashta Elementary School.

Watch the video below to see Jen & Willow in action.

The Minnetonka School District Spinnaker Award is presented annually to individuals or groups who exemplify volunteerism, community and serving the greater good. Like the spinnaker on a sailboat, the groups or individuals recognized with this award are out in front, full-sail, leading us toward the fulfillment of our dreams. These individuals are powered by the winds of passion, hope, confidence, and inspiration. Honorees may be individual volunteers, financial contributors, volunteer project or event groups, business partners.

]]><![CDATA[Students read tales to listeners with tails]]>Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:44:40 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2012/03/students-read-tales-to-listeners-with-tails.htmlWHITE BEAR LAKE — Cookie lays calmly next to her owner on a blanket in the corner of a busy student support room at Willow Lane Elementary.

Students come one-by-one for 20-minute reading sessions with the 11-year old rescue dog and her owner, Lynda Edmundson, a retired grade school teacher.

“They settle in and immediately start reading,” said teacher Emily Gallatin. “It is so fun to see them motivated. They just get so excited to show Cookie what they know.”

Click here to read the rest of the article.

]]><![CDATA[Pets And Owners Form A Mutually Beneficial Bond]]>Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:28:58 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2012/03/pets-and-owners-form-a-mutually-beneficial-bond.htmlA growing field of medical research aims to pinpoint exactly why pets can make us happier and healthier. Some studies show that animal interaction can increase a person's level of oxytocin, a hormone associated with love and trust. And the animals also benefit from positive human interaction.

To listen to the National Public Radio story or read the transcript click here.
]]><![CDATA[How Animals And Humans Heal Each Other]]>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:18:16 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2012/03/how-animals-and-humans-heal-each-other.html

Those of us who own pets know they make us happy. But a growing body of scientific research is showing that our pets can also make us healthy, or healthier.

That helps explain the increasing use of animals — dogs and cats mostly, but also birds, fish and even horses — in settings ranging from hospitals and nursing homes to schools, jails and mental institutions.

To read or listen to the full National Public Radio story, click here.

]]><![CDATA[A good book and a reading buddy]]>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:46:09 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2012/01/a-good-book-and-a-reading-buddy.html

Noel may not seem like your usual library patron or storytime buddy, but she is a regular at the Sun Ray Branch Library.

The Paw Pals program in the St Paul Public Library has been going strong for 4 years.

Click here to read the full article.

Jolene Jackelen and her Golden Retriever Noel visit with Rachel, a second-grader who used to be deathly afraid of dogs. The Paw Pals at Sun Ray Library gives children the opportunity to read to a dog in a relaxed environment.

]]><![CDATA[R.E.A.D. in Rush City]]>Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2011/11/read-in-rush-city1.html

The hope is man’s best friend can make a difference in young Rush City students who lack confidence, have short attention spans and are struggling with reading scores for their age and grade.

Through a program called Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) Minnesota, dogs and their owners can become therapy teams and help out on a monthly basis beginning this school year. Parent contacted the program after hearing many positive reviews about it from other schools and libraries.

Click here to read the full article.

]]><![CDATA[R.E.A.D. A New Generation of Therapy Dogs]]>Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:55:42 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2011/09/read-a-new-generation-of-therapy-dogs.html

The latest issue of the magazine Just Frenchies has a great article about R.E.A.D. See the attached file for the full story.

For more information about the magazine go to www.JustFrenchies.com.

just_frenchies_090111.pdf
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]]><![CDATA[Study shows reading to dogs helps kids]]>Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2011/08/study-shows-reading-to-dogs-helps-kids.htmlAccording to a pilot study published by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, a group of second-graders who read aloud to a dog experienced a slight gain in their reading ability and attitude toward reading, while another group of second-graders who were paired up with veterinary school volunteers (all adults) experienced a decrease on both measures.

Other findings:
* No second-grade readers who were paired up with canine-counterparts left the group, while one third of those readers paired up with humans, failed to complete the study.
* Reading to a dog is a great way to build confidence and reading skills in a child. The study found the lowest level of stress for a child was when he was reading to a dog, while the highest level was when reading to one of his peers.

Click here to read the full article on how reading to dogs helps kids
]]><![CDATA[R.E.A.D.ing with Tufts' Paws for People]]>Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2011/08/reading-with-tufts-paws-for-people.html

Dogs not only provide people with companionship and love, but can assist us in daily tasks. Now “man's best friend” is taking on an even bigger role. Through a Tufts University Veterinary School pilot program they are actually helping kids who struggle to read.

Click here to watch the video of R.E.A.D.ing with Tufts' Paws for People.

]]><![CDATA[More Than Man's Best Friend]]>Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800http://www.readdogsmn.org/1/post/2011/08/more-than-mans-best-friend.html

On a weekday evening inside a Baraboo library, a little bit of magic is happening. Seated on a snuggly fleece blanket between a fortress of books, a child is learning to read—by reading aloud to a dog.

To read the full article open the attached file.

more_than_mans_best_friend_aug11.pdf
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