In partnership with the Chestermere Library, the Community Therapy Dogs Society introduced a free program called “Listening Tails” in 2014. The program uses therapy dogs as a reading buddy for children to read out-loud to, helping improve their confidence. Dogs are non-judgmental and help create a relaxing environment for children to read in. The dogs are always on leash and accompanied by their handler who plays a fairly passive role during the reading sessions. If a child struggles with a particular word, rather than the handler correcting the child, the handler suggests that the dog thinks the word is pronounced this way, thereby maintaining the bond between child and dog.
For more information on the program or visit:
https://www.ctds.ca/programs
Chestermere Veterinary Clinic provides a thorough medical exam to each of the prospective therapy dogs prior to their acceptance in the program.
