skills progress by attaching and detaching fasteners, buttons, velcro and snaps during dog dress up.
Fine Motor
Gross Motor
skills advance by having dogs participate in physical activities involving throwing, catching, balance and coordination.
symptoms diminish as students interact in an even, deliberate manner, resulting in self-calming.
ADHD
Anxiety & Depression
are reduced through consistent, gentle, reliable friendship.
Spacial Awareness
develops through directional games that have been previously taught to the dogs.
Executive Function
can be fostered through multi-step games/skills with dogs requiring memory and organization.
Speech Skills
strengthen by articulating specific words/sentences that include a variety of cues as the dogs respond.
and comprehension advance, particularly for dyslexic students, due to the calming, nonjudgmental nature of loving dogs.
Reading Fluency
Self confidence soars when students cue dogs to carry out skills and tasks with consistent responses.
See how dogs help in the classroom...
98% of teachers and therapists stated that students would benefit from increased participation with assistance dogs provided by Tail Wags & Book Bags.
Impact
National Institutes of Health (NIH) research asserts that the presence of assistance dogs in classrooms promotes positive mood and provides significant anti-stress effects on the body. By decreasing cortisol levels, anxiety and depression are reduced, allowing students to better focus on learning. Read More
Research
Our highly skilled working dogs are raised and trained by service dog organizations accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI). Handlers are professionally trained and certified with specific training for educational settings.
Quality
Smarts
Our dogs know 40-50 tasks and are integrated into goal specific lesson plans. This pedagogical approach is quite different from pet therapy. We pair the warmth of wise dogs with tailored education.
Important Facts
Research
Research
What
teachers say...
“I have heard students make amazing connections to how they are feeling or what behavior they are seeing around them and relate it to interactions that they have with the dogs. I think the students have learned that respect can take many different forms. Having students share their written work has been a huge gain for them, especially those that struggle with reading and writing.”
— Teacher
“Sessions with the dogs are transformative for my students! A boy who is often sullen and passive during his therapy sessions was animated and very focused during his session with Bingo. He worked well with step-by-step directions and noticed how Bingo was responding to his interactions. This student’s voice was uncharacteristically light and playful and he was also physically relaxed.”
— Occupational Therapist
“The impact the assistance dogs have on the students is amazing. Seeing the kids react with patience and discipline in their speech sessions is wonderful. They are fully engaged! Along with improving their speech, students have learned how to behave more appropriately. The dogs make the students feel confident and comforted during their sessions."
— Speech Pathologist
Tail Wags and Book Bags relies on donations to provide services. As a 501(c)3, your contribution is tax deductible. Your gift will bring joy to learning for students with learning differences!
Your Support Matters!
