Popular therapy dog Django helps children build reading confidence
Stephen Finn
The Sun
We could all use use a good listener. It’s often easier to open up to someone when we feel confident they won’t judge us or find fault in our words. Sometimes that can be a close friend, a relative or therapist, and sometimes that can be a dog. Dogs are man’s best friend after all.
Each week, the Burlington County Library invites local children to spend time reading to therapy dogs that live up to that age-old moniker. One of these therapy dogs, a golden retriever named Django, along with his owner Maria Gifford, is a regular visitor to the library and has garnered quite a following since he started his appearances last March.
“He draws a nice crowd,” said librarian Linda Sellars. “They are able to read, and the dog listens, and nobody is telling them they’re reading right or wrong so it gives them more confidence.”
Gifford, who trained Django, knew he would make a great therapy dog since he was a puppy.
“When I picked him I knew I was looking for a dog I could do therapy work with,” said Gifford.
According to Gifford, Django stood out from the other puppies in his litter who were more preoccupied with roughhousing, toy chasing and other behaviors you might expect from a typical puppy. She could see Django was quieter, more patient and in tune with people and would respond when called to. This made her decision an easy one.
“There aren’t too many people Django has met that he hasn’t loved. No matter what the situation is, he just adapts to it. He just has a calmness about him,” said Gifford. “When you’re in his presence you feel like he really listens to you.”
Gifford and Django are a certified team with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a national therapy dog organization. They had to pass a series of tests during which Django was observed by one of the organization’s trainers over the course of several visits to public facilities. During these tests Django had to prove he had the right temperament to be an effective therapy dog.
On Wednesday, Dec. 12, Gifford and Django made one of their regular visits to the library and were greeted by a couple of Django’s biggest fans.
Kim Bazo recently moved to the area and signed her daughter Hannah up for the Read to a Dog program after she expressed an interest. The two have become regulars at the library whenever a therapy dog like Django comes around.
“It’s a great program,” said Kim.
She believes reading to dogs like Django has been encouraging to her daughter and has been helping to develop her reading skills.
“The dog is non-judgmental so she can just read and read what she enjoys without having any kind of judgment. She can explore new words and it doesn’t matter if she trips up on the words or not because the dog isn’t going to judge her,” said Kim.
To sign up a child up for a time slot to read with a therapy dog, contact the Burlington County Library at (609) 267–9660. Dogs are brought to the library on a weekly basis. Django’s next visits will be Jan. 16 and Jan. 30.
