Tag Archives: therapy dogs

US stamps in honour of working dogs

The US Postal Service has a set of four stamps honouring service dogs.

The Dogs at Work set shows a guide dog assisting a blind woman, a tracking dog that is following a scent, a therapy dog visiting with an elderly woman and a search and rescue dog standing in a field.

In releasing the stamps for sale, the USPS said “Dogs have become more than just best friends — they’ve also become our coworkers. From guide dogs to therapy dogs to search and rescue dogs, these stamps from the U.S. Postal Service® honor the enduring partnership between dogs and people.”

“Currently, some 10,000 guide dogs in the U.S. and Canada serve as an extra set of eyes for people who are blind. Therapy dogs, chosen for their friendly dispositions, bring comfort and joy to the elderly and the ill. Dogs that work with police and military personnel are trained to detect drugs, guns, and explosives. Search and rescue dogs speed up search efforts, increasing the odds of survival for disaster victims.

Artist John M. Thompson created original paintings for the stamps, which were designed by art director Howard E. Paine. The Dogs At Work stamps are being issued at a 65-cent denomination, which is the price for single-piece retail First-Class Mail weighing more than one ounce and up to and including two ounces.”

 

Can your dog R.E.A.D?

In today’s world, literacy is an essential life skill.   Did you know that dogs are being specially trained to help children learn how to read?

A Canadian R.E.A.D. dog in action (photo courtesy of TherapyAnimals.org)

The Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) programme operates in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada and aims to improve reading and communication skills by allowing children to read to a dog.  Dogs are non judgmental companions who allow the children to read aloud and gain self esteem, while practising their reading skills.

R.E.A.D. dogs are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owner/handlers and they visit  schools and libraries and other venues.    In tracking the effectiveness of the programme, schools are asked to report back on reading test scores of the children involved.  Libraries schedule the R.E.A.D. visits as special events, and watch the children flock in to participate.  Attendance numbers are also tracked.

Patrick Barkham of The Guardian Weekly recently published an article about Danny, a greyhound R.E.A.D. dog in the UK.  Read The dogs who listen to children reading.

R.E.A.D. chapters have various requirements for dogs and their handlers.  All dogs must achieve therapy dog qualifications which test their obedience, temperament, and sociability.  Most dog handlers are required to attend training courses and this is augmented by on-the-job mentoring and coaching.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand