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Young readers happily going to the dogs Ashlyn Falkenhagen, 8, gets a kiss from Tova while reading a Dr. Suess book to her at Eagle Rock Elementary School in Eagle Point. [Mail Tribune / Denise Baratta] Saturday Mar 4, 2017 at 2:20 PM Mar 4, 2017 at 2:20 PM Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune EAGLE POINT — A half-dozen second-graders and an equal number of calm, snuggling canines curl up in a wide hallway at Eagle Rock Elementary with a small bit of sunshine peeking through tall windows. Thursday was the 113th birthday of Dr. Seuss, and the books on hand are all Seussical favorites. But the reading between the kids and canines is a regular affair. The twice-weekly visits between dogs and young readers are part of a nationwide program dubbed Tail Waggin' Tutors, which pairs therapy dogs with students struggling with reading skills or sometimes just shyness about reading out loud. Dog owners who are certified under Therapy Dogs International provide guidance. In one corner of the room, 8-year-old Ashlyn Falkenhagen recites "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" to Tova, a 9-year-old Australian shepherd and Corgi mix. Sporting a unique "dog smile," Tova grins with her full set of upper teeth as a line of students trickle by, each saying hello. Volunteer Corlane Eacott, a retired nurse from Gold Hill, nudges the girl to continue reading while reminding the wandering students to "ask before you pet." "The dogs really help with shyness, as you can see," she notes of the dozens of children on a first-name basis with the spotted dog. Quite the attention hound, Tova refocuses her grin on Ashlyn as the girl turns the page of the colorful book. Distracted by her four-legged friend, she stops to scratch the dog's back. "Sometimes they fall asleep while we read, but we get to pet them, which is my favorite part of it," says Ashlyn. "I have three dogs at home. I wish my dogs could meet Tova, because she's so cute." Already a favorite at nursing homes and on occasional visits to the veterans facility in White City, Tova, Eacott notes, is a comforting presence. "It's a wonderful thing, and the dogs really help people who need them," she says. Asked Tova's favorite book, Ashlyn is quick to offer the title of "Little Bear." Eacott playfully teases, "That's because it's your favorite, too, so you read it a lot and you both like it, huh?" A few tables away, Janet Sears, a retired teacher who helped implement the program at the school, smiles as 8-year-old Kendal Yazzolino is momentarily distracted by her two dogs. Three-year-old Tangee, a peach-colored spaniel-poodle mix, fixes her brown eyes lovingly on Kendal while 9-year-old Cricket, a King Charles spaniel, snores quietly in an empty chair. "I read to Tangee and Cricket every week and I like them both but I really, really like Tangee. She likes to lick me, and I like her colors. Oh, and she doesn't fall asleep while I'm reading to her," says Kendal. Quick to offer forgiveness to the black-and-white napping dog, Kendal strokes the dog's black and white ears. "I read to them so I can read better for school. It's their night-night stories," Kendal points out. "When Cricket falls asleep, I feel like I'm her mama when I make her fall asleep." Sears assures the girl that Cricket is as excited as the second-grader is about their weekly story-time session. "She's still listening. She's just very calm about it." The program is focused on improving confidence and giving kids a quiet space to practice reading to an audience that won't judge their developing skills. Sears says studies show the dogs' presence improves the students' reading skills and confidence. Teacher Jackie Sutters applauds the program and says she's hopeful more volunteers will sign on with their dogs. "It's a wonderful, wonderful program. It's helped the students who are part of it to become better readers and it's given the shy ones more confidence," Sutters says. "It's been such a big hit. The kids look forward to it every week. Not all of them get to have animals, so that's another thing that's been fun." On a more simple level, the dogs provide the students with a special friend. "My mom won't let us get a dog right now, so I get to see them at school," Kendal says. "They're really nice to me and they remember me and they always listen while I read. I always want the school days without the dogs to go past even faster to the days I get to read to them." For information on volunteering with a certified therapy dog, email Sears at [email protected]. Online, see www.tdi-dog.org and click on "Children Reading to Dogs. — Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected].