Bark if you love story time

Hanna, a Labrador retriever mix, interrupts a library learning session to show the student a little love.

Reading out loud can be a tall order for beginners, unless they have an accepting, non-judgmental audience.

And if that audience is wagging, licking or even drooling, so much the better.

Last Saturday, kids at the Studio City Library had a chance to try out their reading skills on an unusual cadre of canine literati—courtesy of an organization called BARK, which for more than 5 years has been bringing specially-trained dogs into libraries throughout the county and beyond.

The goal of the program is to help kids who may be nervous about their reading ability loosen up and have a little fun with the learning process.

“The dogs don’t judge or laugh at them if they make a mistake,” said Josie Gavieres, director of BARK. “It makes reading a fun experience—kids will even turn the book around to show the dogs the pictures.  It’s really cute.”

To get your child involved, check BARK’s calendar for numerous other times and locations. If you want to lend a hand—or paw—to BARK’s mission, the organization is seeking human and canine volunteers to staff events and spread the word.

Gavieres started BARK, which stands for Beach Animals Reading with Kids, in 2007, out of a desire to get kids reading and her love of animals. Starting with just one dog, she drew on past experience training guide dogs for the blind and working for animal shelters. She discovered that there were similar programs throughout the country but decided to forge her own path, contacting elementary schools in the Long Beach area. After 9 schools declined, the 10th said yes.

“Then it just started growing,” Gavieres said.

Word about the pet project spread quickly. Despite its beach-oriented name, the organization now draws volunteers throughout L.A. and Orange counties—at schools, libraries, senior living facilities and veteran centers.  Volunteer owners and dogs typically come from each facility’s area. BARK receives funding from animal nonprofit organizations, businesses and private donors. The demand is still growing, with 8 libraries and 20 schools currently on a waiting list.

BARK requires all of its dogs to be Canine Good Citizens, an American Kennel Club certification program that focuses on training responsible owners and well-mannered dogs. After that, each dog is evaluated to make sure it is patient and well-behaved enough to work in crowds of kids, who often swarm the dogs in excitement.

“We want that dog whose tail is wagging and he’s smiling and rolling on his back saying ‘Please, more,’ ” Gavieres said.

Dogs will be dogs, though, and the strict code of silence in libraries is sometimes more than they can handle. If distracted by an outside disturbance, the dogs occasionally bark out of instinct, Gavieres said. On the other hand, the silent atmosphere can make the animals a bit too peaceful at times. “We do have dogs that occasionally fall asleep while listening,” Gavieres chuckled. “I have instructed the volunteers to say, ‘He listens better with his eyes closed.’ ”

From librarians’ perspective, the dogs serve an important purpose—getting kids and parents to go to libraries in the first place. Once there, the real work of improving literacy can begin. Last month marked the first time BARK came to Studio City Library, said Wendy Westgate, the children’s librarian. Westgate is a big fan of the program, and she approached her branch manager with the idea of bringing in the dogs monthly for a test run. So far, it’s been successful, Westgate said, drawing 22 kids in September.

Meanwhile, Gavieres revels in the stories from satisfied parents, teachers and librarians.

“Every time I hear about a little boy or a little girl who wouldn’t read that we helped … that just opens up the world for them.”

Ruff's body language gives new meaning to the term "easy listening."

Posted 10/10/13