Puppy Dog Tales Literacy Program: Interview with Sarah Fuchs Moskowitz and Ella

Photos courtesy of Laura Rogers Canine Photography

Sarah Fuchs Moskowitz is a volunteer at San Francisco SPCA Puppy Dog Tales literacy program. Sarah’s partner is a 3 year-old Great Dane named “Ella.” They have been a part of PDT since last fall. One of the first questions Sarah usually receives: How do the children respond to Ella, a large dog standing 29 inches tall to the shoulder and weighing 110 pounds? Sarah’s response: “The kids were definitely scared of her at first, but now they love her.” In preparation for Ella’s visit, the children wrote questions to Sarah about Ella. Sarah ghost wrote a letter back as Ella answering all their questions and alleviating stress.

Photos courtesy of Laura Rogers Canine Photography

          Ella greets the children with a friendly “nose to the belly,” then does some tricks. Sarah and Ella work with nine 4th graders. The children have emotional and behavioral problems. They read aloud to Ella for 10 or 15 minutes. Sarah stated, “The children receive individual attention, their comprehension and vocabulary advance. There is absolute improvement! Some children begin with simple picture books then progress to reading sentences.” Sarah determines comprehension skills by asking a child, “Can you tell Ella what you just read?” This technique succeeds because the children want to explain the reading to Ella. When asked if there was anything about the program that was surprising Sarah stated, “I was surprised by how much the kids improve, how excited the kids get, and how much they retain.”

Photos courtesy of Laura Rogers Canine Photography, San Francisco

Reading level is not the only problem that PDT addresses. According to Sarah “one boy reads at a high level, but he cannot sit still. He generally has his hand on Ella’s back. Ella is an incentive for him. She relaxes him, and she helps him focus.” Some of the children that are disruptive at other school activities are polite when Ella is present. According to Professor Mary Renck Jalongo, “Research shows that work with therapy dogs can build motivation, maintain focus, and increase task persistence, even when other interventions have failed. Working with animals is remarkably effective with students who have attentional difficulties, disruptive behaviors, or a general lack of interest in reading. Evidence is growing of the positive effects that companion animals, particularly dogs, have on children’s behavior.” Sarah told a story of one boy, who stood in the doorway refusing to read to Ella. Sarah said, “Each start was always difficult, but then he would eventually concede stating, ‘I’m doing it for Ella.’ His reading improved!” Sarah thinks the program works because “Dogs don’t judge. Ella won’t make fun of them. Dogs love you. These kids are from disadvantaged families. Being with Ella allows them the chance to forget about grown-ups. They can be in the moment with a dog and a book.”