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Albuquerque - Official City Website

Read to the Dogs

Participating Libraries | Dog Tales

listening dogWould your child like a patient, attentive friend to read to? Read to the Dogs provides an opportunity for your child to read to registered therapy dogs in a relaxed atmosphere. The dogs sit calmly and quietly for a story. Children can practice reading out loud without fear of judgement. It's a great way for children to gain confidence in their reading.

Please register in advance. Reading sessions will be first come, first served.

 

Participating Libraries

  • Cherry Hills Library, 857-8321 (Southwest Canine Corps of Volunteers)
    1st and 3rd Saturdays, 1-3 PM

 

  • Main Library , 768-5136 (Southwest Canine Corps of Volunteers)
    2nd Saturday, 1-3 PM
  • South Broadway Library, 505-764-1742  (Southwest Canine Corps of Volunteers)
    Tuesdays and Thursdays starting 11/3, 4:00 PM

 

 

Dog Tales

  If you would like to share a story from the Read to the Dogs Program, email your story to J. Logan.

  Emily Rose | Harry Potter | Quincey | Zosia

Hi, my name is Harry Potter

Harry Potter, a Therapy DogHarry Potter is an purebred airedale terrier.  He was born June 16, 2002 in Bloomfield, NM.  He was one of 11 puppies!  He weighs 72 lbs, which is a BIG airedale.  They usually weigh around 55 lbs.

 

We bought H P for our 7 (almost 8) year old son.  He and his Nana shared a birthday, and Nana died in March, 2002.  Harry was Nana's last gift to Morgan.  Morgan always wanted his own dog, so he was so surprised when we took him to the westside of Albuquerque and told him "we are seeing someone about a horse".  He of course had no idea what we were talking about.  He played with this cute little brown and black puppy, and we asked, "do you like that puppy?  Well, that is Nana's birthday gift to you".  He was so excited!  

 

When he was 4 Harry saved a special needs boy from an arroyo.  The boy "Sam" would not follow a stranger out, but he had seen Harry before.  He took Harry's collar and the dog led "Sam" out of danger.  That is when our trainer said "Be a therapy dog!"  Since Harry has been a therapy dog, 2 years almost, he has visited numerous schools for read to the dogs, and he also likes going to the libraries.  He loves to have kids snuggle up to him and read.  Especially books about Henry and Mudge.  He spends his time playing in the yard with his ball, and taking walks with his boy. 

 

Harry had a best friend at our home, our bunny Oliver.  He was very sad when "Ollie" died...  and his other friends have been Buster, who he helped lead around (Buster was blind) and his little sister, Emily Rose.  He also now has a little brother, who looks just like him, but smaller, named Rockett. 

 

Airedales were bred origingally to hunt bears.  They were the personal property of the king of England.  His breed was bred from Welsh Terriers (which is what his brother is).  When the breed was allowed to be owned by common people (mostly wealthy landowners) the breed then hunted rats, beaver, badger, and deer.  His breed is the only breed known to hunt humans, there was a dog in England that witnessed his family killed, and then the dog hunted down and killed the criminal. 

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Hi, my name is Quincy

QuincyHi, my name is Quincy. My human's name is Dede. That's Dede spelled with a BIG DE and a little de. I was born in New York in 1999, and I'm 10 years old. I was an unruly and rambunctious baby. I lived with two different families before I was one-and-a-half years old. I wore out my first family, and I wore out my second family. They tried, but they couldn't keep up with me. They really tried! When I was sixteen months old, I came to live with Dede, and my mommy and other rottweilers. Suddenly, I wasn't the biggest kid in the house anymore. The other rottweilers and Dede taught me how to be a good dog. Dede says that I am a gentle giant, and that when I came to live with her, I wasn't a bully. I was just bad mannered. Sometimes, people get scared when they see a rottweiler, because we're soo BIG. That's why good manners are important when you're as big as a rottweiler or a human.

Dede is my friend and my tutor. I had never been to school before, so I had a lot to learn. It was hard work at first but, I catch on fast. She taught me how to be patient and work with my human. It takes a lot of patience to work with humans. So, I use what Dede taught me every day.

We have competed together in many dog shows. Competition teaches you teamwork. One part of a dog show is the beauty contest. That was the hardest part for me, because I had to be patient and pose while the judge examined me. It was hard for me to stand still, but I did it and won many times. We have also competed in obedience training and dog carting. Those are the funnest parts of dog shows, because I like action. Now, I am a Champion! I have a lot of obedience and dog carting titles, and I am proud that I won. But I like to help people most.

I am a Bookhound at the Juan Tabo Library where I help kids with reading. The kids hold up their books so that I can see the pictures while they read to me. I like to listen to all kinds of stories, but my favorite stories are about helping others. I also teach teens at the Juvenile Detention Center on how to train and care for dogs. Teaching is hard work. Now, I know how hard Dede worked when she first taught me. I am so proud when I look into a teen's face and see that he is having fun learning. I know that these teens will use what I teach them for the rest of their lives.

I also teach at Bosque Farms Elementary School every 2-3 weeks, and I go to Rio Grande High School about once a month during the school year. People refer to my student's as "different," because my kids aren't like everybody else. But to me, all humans are different. After all, I am a Rottweiler.

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Hi, my name is Zosia, 

Zosia

and I am 6 years old. My favorite toy is a stuffed dog dressed as Santa Claus. I love that toy, but I love my human most of all. Her name is Debby. Debby adopted me and gave me the name Zosia which is the Polish name for Sophie. I love books, and I love to listen to people read to me. Debby brings me to the library to meet children and listen to them read. The children are very thoughtful and kind. Just last week, a little girl dug into her backpack and pulled out some tissues. She laid them down beside me and said, "This is in case you have to sneeze", then she read me a story. I guess that she could tell that sometimes I don't feel well. I have cancer, and sometimes I hurt. Debby makes sure that I get the best medical care there is so I can feel better. I also feel better when children read to me.  That's why I like to come to the library!

4/9/09- Update on Zosia

My human is so proud of me that she urged me to tell everyone more about myself:

I was honored to be named the 2008 Greatest New Mexican Dog by KRQE-TV. Debby sent my picture into the TV station, and she told them about all the things that we do to help people and have fun together, so the TV people chose me as the winner. I think that they chose me because I take good care of Debby. I have been taking care of her since I was one - and - a - half years old. I take her everywhere with me. I like to introduce my human to people, because I'm just as proud of her as she is of me! I take her to the library to listen to children read, and I take her to agility competitions, and I take her out tracking.
Zosia with Therapy dog vest
I am also a master level agility competitor. That means that I am very good, because only the best dogs get to compete at the master level. Agility competition is similar to track events for humans except it's faster. Humans can't compete with the dogs, because we are too fast for them to keep up. Debby is my coach.

We work as a team in the sport of dog tracking. That's kind of like search and rescue only it's pretend. I do the tracking, because my nose is better at smelling things than Debby's. She gets so excited when my nose is on the trail of something!
Tracking is fun and I love seeing Debby's eyes light up when I do my best.

I've been sick with cancer. But l went to see a doctor, and I'm feeling better now. I'm still not able to do everything that I used to. I have to take it easy until I get better. I take Debby to the library and we listen to children read. We both enjoy this. We get to hear the children read some good stories. When we leave the library, Debby buys stinky cow hooves from the pet store and gives them to me to chew on when we get home. I looove those stinky cow hooves!

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Hi, my name is Emily Rose,

Emily Roseand I am a moodle. What? You don't know what a moodle is? My mother was a poodle. My father was a mystery. So, poodle + mystery = moodle. I really do know who my father is, but I won't tell my human. Because I like being a moodle. Not just anyone can be a moodle. I am. That makes me a one-of-a-kind dog.

My human's name is Jen, and I take her to the library with me to listen to children read. I am a little shy. I try not to be, but I can't help it. The children know this, so they let me snuggle up next to them when they read. They talk to me and pet me. It feels soooo gooood when they scratch behind my ears.

My favorite stories are about Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant, but I like most dog stories. One little girl told me a Christmas story. She couldn't read so she made up funny stories to match the pictures. She let me look at all the pictures. See! You don't have to be able to read words to read a book to someone. The library + kids reading = feeling happy.

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