What’s not to love about a wagging tail and the unconditional acceptance and unending affection found in the big brown eyes that accompany it?

For some Missouri schools, professional therapy dogs and certified volunteer pets make a difference in classrooms, guidance offices, reading rooms, principals’ offices and special classes. Every day Sawyer, Dallas, Braxton, Kelsey, Marshall and Toes lovingly prove that animal companions can reinforce learning, modify behavior, and coax communication from children.

THE CLASSROOM: SAWYER AND DALLAS

Th erapy dogs create a stabilizing influence in the classroom, according to their handlers. By accepting all students equally, they help children think of themselves more positively and more able to relate to others. Their presence reduces stress, even affecting heart rate and blood pressure of anxious students.

Fred Romaine, fifth-grade teacher at Robberson Elementary School in Springfield R-12, came to therapy dogs through research.

“It’s shown that stroking an animal with fur stimulates nerves in the brain, releases endorphins and acts as a calming influence,” says Romaine, who’s had Sawyer, his black Labrador, for six years.

“I’ve seen it in their faces. They just light up when they reach down and pet him.”

Like any other learning aid, Sawyer influences classroom dynamics in several ways. He and Romaine enthusiastically greet students at the door before class begins. During the day, Sawyer sometimes senses when a student is becoming frustrated and will defuse a potential problem by approaching the student with his pull toy. Romaine includes Sawyer in crisis conferences with students. “He adds a calming influence for them.”

Romaine says spending time with Sawyer during free time, reading with him, brushing him, or bringing him water are instant incentives for behavior or academic goals.

A therapy dog has been a fixture in Montgomery Co. R-2 for several years. A previous and beloved therapy dog – Roxie – was instrumental in coaxing a reluctant kindergartner from the car into school. Now Dallas is a regular in Jonesburg Elementary School.

“He’s a door opener to kids who aren’t friendly or don’t interact,” third-grade teacher Suzie Adams says of Dallas, a golden doodle, a cross of a golden retriever and poodle.

“He doesn’t care how well you do in school — if you have friends or what clothes you wear. He’s everybody’s best friend.”

Dallas might lay his head in a child’s lap while she studies her spelling. Children might pet him to reduce anxiety while they take tests. Sometimes adults will stroke his curly fur to ease their stress levels, too.

The dog is just as important outside the classroom. Before school, when kids meet in the gymnasium, one of Adams’ students takes him on his special leash around to say hello. “We never get past kindergarten,” says Adams. “Th ere may be five to six petting him at one time, and he just lays there.”

Adams shares Dallas’ influence with others who reward their students with walks on the nature trail outside with Dallas or the chance to be photographed with him. As an incentive to raise money at a book fair fundraiser, Adams volunteered herself and Dallas to gel their hair (fur) into a Mohawk and dye it blue and white (their school colors). But Adams says she regrets they were short by $150 so they weren’t able to do it.

Students who desire to handle Dallas learn consistent commands. Adams says she teaches students that they are in control.

A therapy dog “is a lot of work,” says Adams. “You have to be sure kids respond like they’re supposed to and the dog is responding like he’s supposed to. You have to respect those who are afraid or just don’t like dogs. But the positives outweigh the negatives.”

THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE: MUGGS

Dr. Kevin Huff man, Robberson Elementary School’s principal, became a fan of therapy dogs when he saw the school’s reading program flourish.

“What had been a room no one wanted to go to was all of a sudden the coolest room in school,” he says. “It spread through our school. All the kids were reading to the dog, and writing to the dog and writing about dogs. Our literacy program blossomed.”

From there, Huff man allowed therapy dogs in two regular classrooms and purchased Muggs, a golden retriever, for himself.

“I use him for all kinds of things,” says Huff man. To encourage attendance he’ll ask a child to show up before school to brush Muggs.

He sets up contracts with children who’ve made poor behavior choices to spend time with Muggs. “I use him for kids in crisis. When their faces tell me things haven’t gone well that morning I’ll pull them aside. Sometimes they will sit and tell the dog about it.”

THE COUNSELOR OFFICE: BRAXTON AND KELSEY

Getting Braxton, a black Labrador for Laclede Co. R-1, was Stacie Vestal’s brainchild. Already interested in pet therapy from graduate school, she was inspired by a conference presentation to ask permission for a dog to share between the high school and elementary school guidance offices.

“Her main duty is to be in my office when kids come in,” Vestal says. “Whether they’re angry or crying, she’s there to calm them down. She will jump up and sit beside them or lay her head in their lap. It’s hard to be sad or mad when you have a dog in your face.”

Vestal says the staff even seeks Braxton’s unconditional sympathy on bad days.

“They’ll say, “I need some time with Braxton,’” Vestal says. “Th en they’ll pet Braxton and talk to her.”

Braxton spends three days a week with Ezard Elementary counselor Jamie Stokes, who takes Braxton on a leash into classrooms. Pleasing Braxton provides an alternative for kids who resist adult direction. To one new student, afraid to go to her new classroom, Stokes said, “Braxton would like to see your desk and meet your teacher.” Off they went.

Kelsey, a golden retriever, worked with Jill Brooks, guidance counselor for Hermann Middle School, Gasconade Co. R-1, for 10 years.

The dog was written into the I.E.P. of a child with behavior issues while being used primarily in Brooks’ office.

“At first, kids wouldn’t want to talk at all,” says Brooks. “Then they’d start talking to Kelsey. Next, they’d talk about their pets to me, and eventually they’d talk about what was bothering them.”

Except for the cafeteria, Kelsey had free reign of the halls and offices.

“She had the same effect on adults as the kids,” says Brooks. “It wasn’t unusual for her to go into the office and plop down beside an irate parent. She had these puppy-dog eyes. The parent would start petting her and soon they weren’t as upset.”

A quiet dog, the golden retriever would leave during Brooks’ lessons in the classroom if students got too noisy.

“She was a barometer for the room,” Brooks says. “Kids wanted Kelsey to stay. They figured out what they had to do real quick.”

Brooks planned to retire Kelsey in June 2011. But during the year, Kelsey, plagued by cancer and old age, required three surgeries.

“I talked to kids about them,” says Brooks. “They made her cards and wanted to read them to her.”

Unfortunately, Brooks was forced to put Kelsey down in January. The whole school grieved.

“Over 10 years, she had close contact with a lot of kids,” says Brooks. “Death and dying are part of life and so we discussed it. Even aft er she was gone, Kelsey was still helping with lessons.”

READING CLASSES: MARSHALL AND VOLUNTEER PETS

Because dogs are nonjudgmental listeners, they’re oft en found in reading class.

Having used therapy dogs with emotionally disturbed children, Lori Benham asked to incorporate a therapy dog in her Title I classes at Robberson.

Benham works individually and in small groups with children with Marshall, a yellow Labrador, in the room.

Marshall lies on his pillow during “table time” unless he senses someone’s frustration. “He’ll go and nudge the child and they give him a pat,” says Benham.

Next, students crowd around Marshall to practice their fluency. They put their arms around his neck, lay their hands on his back, or lean against him while they read. Neither they nor Marshall notice the din that everyone makes reading out loud at the same time.

Each year Benham’s students write, edit, revise and publish a book about Marshall. “They will talk to Marshall and run ideas by him,” she says.

Volunteer pets off er another option in reading. Toes and volunteer owner, Chris Goff , visit classrooms in Paws for Reading, a program of Support Dogs Inc. A retired teacher in Fort Zumwalt R-2, Goff visits the classroom twice a month with Toes and reads the children a story. While the teacher helps them with writing activities, Goff and her dog work with individual students.

Another program, coincidentally named Paws for Reading, was started four years ago by Jenni Hushaw, director of public information and director of volunteer services for Rolla 31. Struggling readers meet with volunteers and certified pets outside the classroom in 5-to-30 minute sessions.

At Waynesville R-6 Middle School, volunteer-pet pairs visit Kelly Howley’s Educable Mentally Handicapped (EMH) students twice a week.

“I have one student who struggled with reading,” says Howley. “Now, he’s the first one to say, ‘Can I go first?’ He has the dog in his lap and pets it while he tells the volunteer about the story he’s read from the day before. It’s perfect for our kids who need social skills.”

Like the computer, interactive white board, worksheet and textbook, therapy dogs and volunteer dogs are valuable tools in helping children learn.

“There are no limits to what a therapy dog can do,” says Robberson Elementary School principal Huff man, “except what we haven’t thought of yet.”

Bare bones about therapy dogs