My collie, Sunny, is not only beautiful, he’s got a wonderful spirit and gentle demeanor. I had been telling my friend Jan that I wondered if a local bookstore would let me bring Sunny inside with me some Saturday and maybe I could read to children. I had volunteered several years when my sons were in elementary school, and part of that time was spent reading to and with the students. Some mothers told me they appreciated my efforts and how much their children’s reading had improved.

 

Not long after that, Jan, who’s had therapy dogs for many years, received a notice in the mail about Reading Education Assistance Dogs. Having children read to a dog had never occurred to me, so I wrote for more information. Soon, Sunny and I were a R.E.A.D. team. We’ve been volunteering at La Mesa Library twice a month since 2005 and have also visited two schools on a weekly basis as well as occasional visits to three other schools.

 

 

What surprises me most is how much I’ve learned on my own. Considering that I did not go to college, I felt proud of my high school shorthand skills and eventual appointment as a judicial secretary to the San Diego Municipal Court Judges. However, when my oldest son began kindergarten, I wanted to stay home with him and his younger brother, so I resigned my appointment. One of the judges actually rented a typewriter and came to my home so I could continue doing some of his work. Of course I expected to return to work eventually, but as people began asking me to prepare various documents for them, I wound up with a home-based secretarial support business, HyperTyper, and yes, at first I laughed when answering the phone saying that. As “hyper” became a buzz word for so many things, HyperTyper was actually a great name and I often got business just because of the name.

 

Having my own business enabled, perhaps forced, me to learn so much that I would never have learned had I simply continued taking shorthand notes and transcribing audio tapes at the courthouse. At home, I worked for a wide variety of people including school superintendents, teachers, graduate students, motivational speakers, authors, policemen, the county coroner, and a magician. Their needs were quite varied, and so I learned much more about computers and various software programs than I ever would have been exposed to in a typical government office setting.

 

 

I’ve come across many inspiring quotes while writing my Web site. While not the type of messages to “keep me going in challenging times,” they fit my needs perfectly. It’s difficult to choose a favorite, but at the top of the list might be, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” (Dr. Seuss), “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” (Walt Disney),  “Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” (Mason Cooley), and “Open your child’s imagination. Open a book.” (author unknown). 

 

 

You know, I’ve never thought of this, and I can’t think of a hero at the moment. Having just looked at quotes for the #3 question, all I can think of now is “May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am!” If I remember someone for this question, I’ll let you know.

 

 

Librarydogs.com is becoming a resource for public and school librarians, teachers, and bookstore managers, who are interested in exploring the idea of using dogs in their reading programs. I'm also trying to show that with proper socialization and consistent training, dogs with the proper temperament, any breed or mixed breeds, can be amazing therapy dogs.

 

I’m having fun learning how to write a Web site and hope to continue building my online presence. I have more ideas for my site, so I have plenty to learn in the next few years.

 

In the long run, I want to help children develop more self-confidence, improve their reading and literacy skills, and have a whole lot of fun at the same time. I want them to not only learn how to read but also love to read.