R. is nine years old, a third grader. Her reading level is perfectly acceptable, if not advanced for her age. She just seems a little shy, which is why I imagine they've chosen to involve her in the dog program. She mostly just answered my questions, didn't talk too much otherwise. Though she does seem interested in Elyse. And, within ten minutes of our first meeting, while stroking Elyse's fur and gazing down at her paws, she revealed to me that her father died less than a year ago. Her mother has not told her how or why.
A. is twelve Years old, a sixth-grader. Hers is another case in which reading is no problem. In fact, I was pretty impressed when she pulled out The Hunger Games and read aloud with perfect pronunciation and comprehension. I get the feeling that A. is very smart, possibly to the point of social detriment. Her school counselor said she's been acting up lately, and that they want to help build her self-esteem by having her interact with Elyse in the reading program.
*****
Next, we took the adult dogs to the fire station in Rohnert Park so that they could become desensitized to the unusual sights and sounds there. A fire woman, dressed in all her garb, met each dog one at a time, offering treats and kindness. None of the dogs seemed bothered by the strange clothing, even the gas mask. Elyse in particular just loved this woman; didn't even care about the treats, just wanted to nuzzle her and lean into her legs.
After that, we led the dogs to the far corner of the parking lot and offered them treats while the firemen sounded the sirens. The dogs all did great!
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