Dear Friends and Supporters: Please consider making a donation to Nor’wester Therapy Dogs so that we can continue to grow our program and services. It is people like you who help us keep the...

Mike Nelson and his teachers work together closely. They communicate weekly regarding the expectations the teacher has for the upcoming therapy dog visit.  Mike then offers suggestions about...

Mike Nelson and his Golden Retriever Bubba have been volunteering with Nor’wester Therapy Dogs since 2012. They are one of our teams that work primarily with special needs students. Not only do Mike...

It’s inevitable that we sometimes lose therapy dog teams during the school year. It’s a sad reality that is often difficult for children and teachers who have worked so closely with the therapy dog...

HOW TO TOUCH A DOG As therapy dog handlers, we are responsible for making sure that children behave appropriately around dogs, and this is a perfect opportunity to teach them how to respect...

The Nor’wester organization strongly encourages teachers to think of their therapy dog team as a “teaching tool” to be used to help meet academic and instructional goals.  Tanya Mahon, a teacher...

hand to paw – relieving test anxiety It’s common for students to experience anxiety when anticipating the PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) testing, which is administered to third...

by Jan Reisen  Published on American Kennel Club website: July 31, 2019  Dogs have been aiding and working with humans since ancient times, in everything from farming to hunting to...

Dolores (better known as Kelly) Wolff and her Shih Tzu, Miss Daisy, have been part of the Nor’wester Therapy Dog organization for the past eleven years. Kelly learned about our canine assisted...

“IDEAS FOR INCORPORATING ANIMAL-ASSISTED INTERVENTIONS”  (taken from 101 Creative Ideas for Animal Assisted Therapy by Stacy Grover) LET’S TALK:  A therapy dog team working under the...