Libby the Reading assistance Dog

[fotobridget]

Libby is now in the last stage of her training to be a reading therapy dog! Hopefully we'll be ready for actual "reading" sessions with kids this summer. I have several friends with kids just waiting to help me train her.

 

we'll be doing her canine good citizen test pretty soon, too!

 

We had her out at the biggest event of the year for our town...(townwide yardsale day), where nearly 3000 people walk the entire town visiting yard sales.

 

Libby was wonderful. Not a single problem. Even when a kid swinging a big red basket nearly hit her--she just jumped out of the way--quietly. Then as soon as he set the basket down, she did her "hello, nice to meet you...would you like to pet me, routine" (sniff, sniff...tail wiggle, tail wiggle, hold still to be petted, sit).

 

she didn't react to the Amish horse and buggies, honking cars, screaming kids, radios, tools, even motorcycles were ignored (which is big since when she was a baby, we were out walking and some jack*** on a motorcycle decided it would be funny to buzz real close to her and blow his horn--if I could have I'd have knocked him off that darn bike, as it took us months to get over that incident).

 

She did, however, react to the sock monkey in a pile of stuffed animals. She picked it up and carried it off. (Not a problem, since she knows I buy her stuffed toys at the yardsales every year). the guy running the yardsale thought it was awesome that Libby KNEW what we were doing. She carried the toy to him and waited patiently while he took the sticker off, and I gave him the money. Everybody around just thought that was amazing Then we trotted back to her "Daddy" who was laughing his head off.

 

We also found her...a stuffed lamb. But the sock monkey seems to be the favorite. She walked over five miles in under three hours, and was a perfect angel the whole time. She was literally the epitomy of "Good Dog".

 

Now the questions we got....they were interesting....

 

1. do you have kids, you must not have kids since you have a border collie. did you know they're not good with kids? (Liberty is wonderful with children--she's in training to be a child therapy dog!)

 

2. How much did that dog cost? How much did she cost to train? (30$ at the humane society, and training cost however much the swedish fish candies I use as reward cost)

 

3. Does she mind? Border collies are the worst dogs, because they won't do what you tell them, does she mind? (Liberty, sit, please. Libby stand please. Libby speak please. Libby turn please. Libby counter-turn, please. Libby do karate, please. Libby go Left, go right, crawl, be a gremlin, be sad, be dead, say hello, shake hands, smack daddy, high five, nod, give hugs, I could go on...she did it all right there for the guy)

 

4. Is she for sale? (Not for all the money in the world.)

 

(PS>>>>Libby being a gremlin)

 

Any other BC's therapy/assistance dogs of any type? Any suggestions?

[pansmom]

HEARTWARMING! Thank you for posting.

"Does she mind???"

Even Pan will do tricks for the security guard outside the grocery.

"Down, stand, shake, roll over, sit."

(We are currently working on speak...)

And no, I don't leave her outside the grocery alone now. But back before the incidents in February I always brought her with me and she was very good waiting for me to come back out on her leash at the phone booth. Does a border collie mind??? Shoot. They would be so BORED if they didn't!

[fotobridget]

And no, I don't leave her outside the grocery alone now. But back before the incidents in February I always brought her with me and she was very good waiting for me to come back out on her leash at the phone booth. Does a border collie mind??? Shoot. They would be so BORED if they didn't!

 

I've never been so proud of Libby in the entire time I've had her. (Except maybe when we got her spayed, and the vet-techs just went on and on about how sweet she was, and said she never barked, did her business without being told, etc.) She's worked real hard at being a good doggie!

 

I've been away from the boards for a while--do you mind me asking what happened in February?

[sweet_ceana]

smack daddy

I may have to teach mine that one!

[NorthfieldNick]

I may have to teach mine that one!

 

I had the same thought, although Lu, the burly mutt, would be better at it than Nick

 

A couple I'm friends with has both of their dogs certified to do the reading thing. They (the dogs) seem to enjoy it. Nick loved kids, but he'd spend too much time trying to lick them to be any good at listening to stories.

[fotobridget]

I may have to teach mine that one!

 

 

Ummm...it was entirely unintentional...on her daddy's part! She was begging (for a cheezit, actually), and put her paw on his knee. He told her to stop or he was going to 'smack' her. He pretended to 'smack her'....which was real funny....until I said...."Hey Libby, if Daddy smack's you--smack him back!"

 

She did. That was all it took. Now she does it on command.

 

He can't break her of it....I told him it was his fault

[fotobridget]

I had the same thought, although Lu, the burly mutt, would be better at it than Nick

 

A couple I'm friends with has both of their dogs certified to do the reading thing. They (the dogs) seem to enjoy it. Nick loved kids, but he'd spend too much time trying to lick them to be any good at listening to stories.

 

 

So far, Libby's only interacted with little boys, but I've several colleagues at work, who have agreed to donate little girls (around the age of six) to the cause. Plus my sister has a new fiance, who has a 9 year old girl. I can't wait to get Libby working with them.

 

Libby loves the one-on-one attention, plus with my three nephews (7,6, and 3) she seems to instinctively be able to judge their personalities, and play accordingly.

 

Plus, she loves being read to.

 

We just need some practice, certification, and the insurance and she'll be ready. By August, I'm hoping to have her started at one of the area schools. I can't wait.

 

This is in addition to the agility, and we are going to start working on "dog safety" talks at local kids groups such as 4h and Cubscouts/Girlscouts, etc.

 

She's just the right size and temperment to not frighten a child, but still be able to 'play' with them safely...for both her and the kids.

[desertranger]

I've been away from the boards for a while--do you mind me asking what happened in February?

 

Februaryt was very exciting. I was given Jin as a Valentines day present from my daughter. I then found and joined the forum. Two weeks later Jin got parvo. I'm still not sure I would have made it through the crisis if it were not for the support of the bunch of wonderful wierdos I found here.

 

 

 

Now the questions we got....they were interesting....

 

1. do you have kids, you must not have kids since you have a border collie. did you know they're not good with kids? (Liberty is wonderful with children--she's in training to be a child therapy dog!)

 

2. How much did that dog cost? How much did she cost to train? (30$ at the humane society, and training cost however much the swedish fish candies I use as reward cost)

 

3. Does she mind? Border collies are the worst dogs, because they won't do what you tell them, does she mind? (Liberty, sit, please. Libby stand please. Libby speak please. Libby turn please. Libby counter-turn, please. Libby do karate, please. Libby go Left, go right, crawl, be a gremlin, be sad, be dead, say hello, shake hands, smack daddy, high five, nod, give hugs, I could go on...she did it all right there for the guy)

 

4. Is she for sale? (Not for all the money in the world.)

 

 

 

Any other BC's therapy/assistance dogs of any type? Any suggestions?

 

 

1. Jin loves children served with his morning meal. I've raised kids and BCs together. Never had a problem. Jin has to grandkids to play with a 3yr old and a 4 yr old.

 

2. The price of a good dog is priceless. Jin has cost around $2,000 in vet bills and training so far and he's not even 5 months old.

 

3. Does he mind? Not really he doesn't care about anything except fun and food. Of course he minds, he's a BC.

 

4. Not a chance.

 

Another Q I get. He behaves so well, was he hard to train. No he came pre-trained.

 

Any other BC's therapy/assistance dogs of any type? Any suggestions?

 

Jin will eventually be trained as my service dog. His job will be to break the PTSD when it settles in and to bring me my med kit when I am incapacitated.

[fotobridget]

Februaryt was very exciting. I was given Jin as a Valentines day present from my daughter. I then found and joined the forum. Two weeks later Jin got parvo. I'm still not sure I would have made it through the crisis if it were not for the support of the bunch of wonderful wierdos I found here.

1. Jin loves children served with his morning meal. I've raised kids and BCs together. Never had a problem. Jin has to grandkids to play with a 3yr old and a 4 yr old.

 

2. The price of a good dog is priceless. Jin has cost around $2,000 in vet bills and training so far and he's not even 5 months old.

 

3. Does he mind? Not really he doesn't care about anything except fun and food. Of course he minds, he's a BC.

 

4. Not a chance.

 

Another Q I get. He behaves so well, was he hard to train. No he came pre-trained.

Jin will eventually be trained as my service dog. His job will be to break the PTSD when it settles in and to bring me my med kit when I am incapacitated.

 

 

Ouch on the parvo. Two weeks after I got Libby I found out she had kennel cough, ringworm, other parasites, and...demodex. A severe case. Took almost 18 months for her to recover. And her coat at 2.5 yrs is STILL coming in. I honestly thought she was a smooth coat. Now she has eight inch tail feathers...

 

I was really lucky in my vet. He has more than 30 years as a farm vet (does pets on the side) so he knew exactly what to do for Libby. Plus he only charges the cost of medication, so it cost less than 500 to completely treat her--over the course of the year and a half we dealt with it.

 

Her case was a stubborn one and we actually had to give her the Ivermectin (very dilute doses) which absolutely terrified me. She's all better now, though.

 

But I can honestly say it was one of the scariest things I can remember (with the exception of my mother's bout with cancer). I'd wake up from actual nightmares that my puppy had died while I was asleep. (I still wake up and check on her if she's not in the bed with me--we are weaning her from sleeping in the kennel because when we have a baby we're putting the crib where the kennel currently is, and we want Libby to sleep with us. Plus she's real cuddly, and loves to snuggle with her 'sleeping peoples')

 

I too wouldn't have made it through without these boards!