By Heather Wade, Holland Elementary, Council Rock School District Therapy dog Jingles, owned and handled by Joyce McGettigan, went right to the head of the classroom when he entered. We think he knew it was the best way to see all the kids at once. He pretty much pushed the teacher out of the way…
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One of the most frequent questions we get is from owners who want to know how they can get their dog certified to work as a registered therapy dog. We have learned over the years that the most important thing is a well socialized dog. Proper socialization creates a relaxed, confident, well-adjusted, and happy canine,…
By Carol VanSant One therapy dog job that almost everyone is familiar with is to help people manage grief. It doesn’t matter whether it is a large tragedy or an individual personal loss, therapy dogs help alleviate the pain. If you have done any reading about the benefits of therapy dogs, you may know that…
Carla Foy grew up in Bethlehem, PA. Her father was an airline pilot, and her mother owns a used/rare bookstore called The Old Library Bookshop. She has always loved children and teaching, and she was encouraged by her grandmother to pursue education as a career. Before coming to Council Rock, she taught in a Catholic…
We often encounter students who have anxiety and fear when around dogs. It seems that our therapy dogs are then thrust into the role of helping students overcome these issues. The gentle and calm demeanor of a therapy dog is the first step in working with these students. It’s heartwarming to see our therapy dogs…
SOME GREAT DOG-THEMED BOOKS FOR STUDENTS It’s summertime and a great time to catch up on pleasure reading. Our therapy dogs recommended some wonderful dog stories and encourage you to visit your local public library! The Nor’wester therapy dogs will be visiting the Free Library at Northampton Township in Richboro on Thursdays now through August…
More letters from the kids. . . Patrick makes me more happy and more confident when he’s around. He’s good to have near because he’s soft and gives confidence and happiness. That’s why I like having Patrick around. Grant Patrick has been a very good therapy dog. He has helped me by making me overcome…
By Shelby Wetzel Crawford and her kids More letters from the kids. . . Patrick is something that I look forward to because I had a dog come in my classroom before. It is so cool to have a dog in your classroom. I like Patrick coming into my class. Scarlett Patrick is so amazing…
Sue Oakes of Oakes K9 Training and Kathy Gardosh are both evaluators who are certified to do the AKC Canine Good Citizen and the Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs tests. Sue has over 30 years of experience training dogs and specializes in canine behavioral cases. She is a former certified animal control officer and a…