Read To A Dog

We are excited to welcome therapy dog, Keeper and his owner Abigail to the Library on Wednesdays from October 20^th – November 17^th, 3:30 – 4:30.  Sign up for 15 minute slots by emailing julia@putneylibrary.org or drop in when space is available.

Therapy dogs can help emerging and struggling readers by lending a nonjudgmental ear to listen. They can also help in lowering heart rates and stress hormones while stimulating parts of the brain that encourage social-emotional learning.

Keeper is a two-year-old Labrador Retriever who is a certified therapy dog (with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs). To become certified, he had to pass an initial obedience test as well as complete three supervised visits at several facilities.  Besides listening to stories read out loud his favorite activities are swimming, rolling in mud puddles, chasing squirrels and wrestling with his sister.

Abigail Littlefield is Keeper’s owner/chauffeur, who will always be found at the other end of his leash.  Keeper is her forth certified therapy dog; some of the places she has visited with past dogs are elementary schools, hospitals, nursing homes and colleges.  She is a retired college professor who lives in Westminster West where, in addition to Keeper, she has two more dogs, a cat, chickens and bees!