The first week in March 2020 was designated as “Reading Across Holland Elementary School Week.” Howard Barkan, better known to the kids as Mr. Howard, volunteers with his therapy dog Winnie in a third grade class taught by Kelly Burdette and Amanda Vierick. When Mr. Howard and Winne walked into the classroom on Wednesday of…
I am a retired Council Rock special education teacher. The year before I retired, my husband and I rescued a 5 year old Siberian Husky named Rory. Neither of us had any past experiences with dogs. Our youngest adult daughter had adopted a Husky who became our grand-dog, and we adored him. My daughter said…
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 what he and Bubba can do to enhance the goals set for the visit. This collaboration has produced amazing results and supports the mission and vision of…
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 and Bubba currently visit four classes weekly, they also do summer Extended School Year visits. We asked Mike to share a bit…
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 protection and more. Service dogs, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs all fulfill important roles in their aid to humans, but the terms are not…
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 learning program from another therapy dog handler while volunteering at Abington Hospital. Because Miss Daisy loves children so much, Kelly decided to join…
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,…
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…
Our volunteers were invited to our annual Appreciation Breakfast to express the organization’s gratitude for their commitment to our therapy dog program. This year we held the celebration at Corner Bakery Café in Newtown, PA. During the gathering we present annual certificates of service and do special recognition for five and ten year honorees. We…