Four-legged listeners

photograph by Deborah Parkhill Mullis/MMHW, UCW

Matthews and Mint Hill libraries are now home to a program that lets students read to therapy dogs. (Above) Tucker, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, takes his turn in the spotlight.

Union West program that pairs struggling readers with pups
expands to Matthews, Mint Hill

by Deborah Parkhill Mullis

Since its trial run at Union West Regional Library, Paws Awhile to Read – a free program that allows children embarrassed or hesitant about their reading skills to build confidence by reading aloud to dogs – has become so popular that its founder, Teresa Faucett of Mint Hill has had to both increase her pack of therapy dogs and expand its territory.

“Nearby libraries saw that it could work – Matthews was the first Charlotte-Mecklenburg program that we did. Mint Hill followed soon afterward,” said Faucette, a Therapy Dogs International evaluator who was seeking community-service opportunities for her 4-year-old sheltie, Max, when she approached the Indian Trail library last year.

Faucette and Max, along with two other TDI dogs and their handlers, started Paws Awhile to Read at Union West in October 2007. Demand for the twice monthly program was so high that Faucette immediately added a fourth dog.

Pack increases in size and variety

As the program expanded over the next 14 months, the pack doubled to eight dogs: Dusty, a dachshund handled by Sandy Pugyao of Waxhaw; Reiner, a German shepherd handled by Dale Stegall of Mint Hill; Maggie, a goldendoodle handled by Pat Pohar of Marshville; Piglet, a terrier-mix handled by Amy Harris of Goose Creek; Tucker, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel handled by Beth-Ellen Coates of Stallings; Zoey, a golden retriever handled by Tim Lauder of Matthews; and, of course Max, handled by Faucette of Mint Hill. A Newfoundland will join the program in January, as JJ the husky (one of the original three dogs) relocated to California.

“We could do (reading therapy) every, single Saturday and still have people waiting,” said Betsy Cullen, branch manager at Union West, where staffers, children and parents held a surprise party last month to thank the dogs and handlers.

“I had to lie to get them (to the party),” said Faucette, who told the handlers to bring the dogs to Union West for “mandatory” training.

Among those in attendance were Judy Silberquit and her son, Travis, 8, who regularly reads with the dogs at Union West. Silberquit had many compliments for the canines and their handlers, who have helped her son improve his reading comprehension and overcome his shyness. “He doesn’t just talk to the dogs. He talks to the handlers,” she said. “We don’t have pets at home, so the dogs are an added incentive (to read).”

More territory, more benefit

Now, the handlers are taking their pack of community-conscious canines to the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County’s Matthews and Mint Hill branches, too.

In Matthews, the program is called Tail Wagging Tutors and is held monthly on a Saturday morning. “I love to see the library so busy with children reading to dogs,” said Tricia Twarogowski, children services manager. “I like to try new things to encourage beginning, struggling or shy readers.”

“My daughter doesn’t like to read very much, but she loves dogs, so it was nice to see her excited to read,” said the mother of 7-year-old Lindsey, who was reading “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” to Tucker. Tucker’s handler, Coates, is an assistant teacher at Antioch Elementary School. Coates has two more Cavalier King Charles spaniels at home, but 3-year-old Tucker is the only one with the right temperament to be a reading-therapy dog.

On her first day volunteering at the Matthews branch, golden retriever Zoey proved she was up to the task. She remained attentive and calm as children flopped on the floor in front of her, flipping pages and sounding out the words in their books. Waving her fluffy tail whenever the children stroked her fur, Zoey was the perfect tail-wagging tutor.

“She’s our first therapy dog,” said owner Lauder of Matthews, who has another golden retriever at home. Lauder’s three children, ages 6, 10 and 12, came up with the idea of making Zoey a therapy dog. While Lauder took the dog through formal training, the children helped the pup practice at home. “We know some folks who have kids in the hospital, and they talked about the therapy dogs (there),” he said.

Lauder also was encouraged by Zoey’s trainer, who kept bumping the clever pup into more advanced classes. After meeting Faucette at a local pet store, Lauder scheduled Zoey for an evaluation and the pooch was approved to become a certified therapy dog.

Children who participate in the program receive collector cards of their canine reading companions. The cards have a photograph of the dog on the front and fun facts about the animal on the back.

Reading therapy programs resume at all three libraries in January.

For more information, about each library’s specific program, call the Union West Regional Library at 704-821-7475, the Matthews branch library at 704-416-5000, or the Mint Hill branch library at 704-416-5200.

This article was published by Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly, Volune 2, Number 1 * Jan. 2-8, 2009 and by Union County Weekly, Volume 4, Number 1 * Jan. 2-8, 2009.

Taking Dog Safety to the 'Max'

Above: Children in the Cherokee Woods neighborhood line up to learn the proper way to pet someone else's dog. Presented by "Max the Dog" and his owner Teresa Faucette, responsible pet ownership and dog safety shows are one way to address the ongoing issue of loose dogs in Indian Trail.
Below: Children learn about pet grooming and dog safety including what to do when a strange dog approaches: "make like a tree" if standing or "make like a rock" if on the ground.

'Max the Dog' and his trainer tackle dog troubles in Indian Trail

by Deborah Parkhill Mullis

dogreporter@hotmail.com

September may be Responsible Dog Ownership Month but when she's not working at her regular job as a nutritionist, Teresa Faucette and her 4-year-old sheltie, Max, educate and entertain people about topics such as dog safety, fire safety, nutrition and responsible pet ownership every month.

Max is what trainers call a one in a million dog. Faucette has had other dogs but never one as gifted as Max. A canine good citizen and a certified pet-therapy dog, Max loves to perform and Faucette loves to teach. "He’s a show-off," said Faucette. Max and Faucette teach at churches, day cares, elementary schools, middle schools and perform demonstrations at special events. Now they can add dog-troubled neighborhoods to their list.

Recently, the two traveled from Mint Hill to Indian Trail to teach a group of children gathered at the home of Darlene Davis in the Cherokee Woods neighborhood. According to Davis, the neighborhood has an ongoing problem with dogs running loose. "People have resorted to carrying sticks," she said, noting that dogs have attacked two bike riders as well as a home owner who was getting out of her car in her driveway.

Although there hasn't been an incident in three months, Davis felt it was important to inform the children about responsible pet ownership and dog safety. "So far they've been lucky," she said, but now that school is back in session, children need to know how to react to a strange dog at the bus stop in the morning or walking home in the afternoon.

Cherokee Woods isn’t the only Indian Trail neighborhood having problems with pets that are supposed to be man’s best friends. For months residents have been complaining to town officials, writing to local papers and appearing before county commissioners to beg for a solution to irresponsible pet owners who allow untrained dogs to run free in densely populated subdivisions. Town officials say leash laws are not high on the priority list, so residents like Davis are finding their own safety solutions.

Max and his suitcase to the rescue

How many of you have dogs?" Faucette asked the group of boys and girls sitting in lawn chairs and sipping Kool-Aid. Most of the preschool to middle school age children raised their hands.

Faucette spread open Max’s suitcase on the lawn for a game of show-and-tell. On command, Max trotted over to his suitcase to retrieve his personal belongings one at a time as Faucette explained each item and its importance.

First, Faucette asked Max for his leash. Max located his leash among the other items in his suitcase, grabbed it in his mouth and carried it over to her.

"Good job," Faucette said as he let the leash go into her hand and sat down beside her. The sheltie tilted his head from side to side, his brown eyes following Faucette's every move.

"Why is a leash important?" she asked the children.

"So you can walk him," answered one boy.

So he doesn’t run loose," replied another.

"That’s right! And why is it important for a dog not to run loose?" prompted Faucette.

The children call out answers.

"He could get lost."

"He could get hit by a car."

"He could get in a fight with another dog."

"That’s right. What if another dog is running loose and picks a fight with your dog?" Faucette continued.

"He could get hurt!"

"That’s right," she said.

Max returned to his suitcase to fetch his collar and dog tags for Faucette as she conducted another Q-and-A on the importance of ID tags and vaccinations. Next, Max produced a dog toy from his suitcase and pranced around with it. "Do any of you own dogs that chew on things they‘re not supposed to?" inquired Faucette.

"My grandma had a dog that chewed on everything - even my grandpa’s pants," said one boy. Faucette took this opportunity to talk about spending time with their dogs and training them to play with pet toys and not people's things.

"Dogs like to have something to do. It's important to train your dog to do what you want him to do," she said.

Then Max took the final four items out of his suitcase: a red bandana, a dog brush, doggie toothpaste and a doggie toothbrush. Faucette joked about how much Max loves to wear his bandana and look at himself in the mirror. A giggly discussion about Max's vanity, dog grooming and how to avoid matted fur and "stinky dog breath" followed.

"Make like a tree" but don't leave

The second part of the show addressed the serious issue of dog safety, with instruction about what to do and what not to do when a strange dog approaches. Faucette asked the children to stand and then Max, pretending to be a strange dog, charged at the group. "Make like a tree. Stand straight, cross your arms and look at your roots," instructed Faucette. The children folded their arms across their chest, stared at their feet and stayed as still as possible.

"Should you watch the dog?" she asked.

The children weren't sure.

"If you don''t know me and I go up to you and stare at you, does it make you feel nervous?"she continued.

"Yes!" shouted the children.

"It makes a dog feel nervous, too," explained Faucette. "Dogs can't tell a person to stop staring at them, but they can bark, growl and even bite if you are doing something they don't like. Never stare at a dog. They consider it a challenge."

Next, the children crouched down on the ground to play and Max, again pretending to be a strange dog, crawled into their midst. They learned to cover their ears and "make like a rock" if they are on the ground when a strange dog comes along. Faucette emphasizes to never jump up, run away or scream. That kind of behavior can excite a dog, and then he may bite. Instead she told the children to count to themselves and remain still until the dog loses interest or an adult comes to help.

One girl asked what to do if a dog chases you while you are riding your bike. "That’s a good question," Faucette said. "Put the bike between you and the dog. Use it like a shield and make like a rock on the other side of it."

Well-trained children equal well-trained dogs

For the final part of the show, the children lined up and asked Faucette for permission to pet Max, which is the proper way to greet someone else’s dog. Max sat politely while each child took a turn stroking him under the chin or scratching him on the chest - not patting the top of his head or grabbing him, actions that are threatening to some dogs.

"I want them to know that a dog is a lot of responsibility," said Faucette, who believes that teaching responsible pet ownership to children now is one of the best ways to end irresponsible pet ownership in the future.

For more information about Max the Dog, e-mail tfaucette@carolina.rr.com or call 704-618-2609.

This article was published by Union County Weekly, Volume 2, Number 25 * Aug. 31 - Sept. 6, 2007. Deborah lives in Indian Trail, NC with her husband, two children, two dogs and one cat. When the children go to school and the pets take a nap, she does a little freelance writing. 

Some of us started making noise about this six years ago.