OkcPets Magazine May 2023

28 OKC Pets • May / June 2023 the card in my therapy vest. The game continues as long as there are cards in my vest for the students to pick. The game ends when no cards are left in my vest, and they have won the most points. I want to win the game one day, but that’s unlikely. It is eye exam day at school. Mom has the doctor check my eyes first so the stu- dents won’t be scared when it is their turn. To check my eyes, the doctor opens my eyelids wide and looks at my eyes with a tiny light. It makes me have a funny face, and the students giggle. When it’s their turn, they ask the doctor “to make their face look funny too.” It is a fun game. Therapy Dogs Help Students I have a younger sister named Clover, also an Australian Shepherd. We are certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD). Sometimes when we visit places, Mom brings a large sit-in remote-controlled car and dresses Clover or me up in a cowboy hat. We ride the car around the parking lot. The students love watching us drive the remote-controlled car. Mom started to visit schools in 2014 when Mentzer and Prin- cipal John Lund invited her to bring a therapy dog to school for a Dr. Seuss Themed Literacy Night. Mentzer says, “The differ- ence in my class has been extraordinary. The students are eager and excited to read when Hazel walks through the door.” This is just one story about the fun Clover and I have helping students become more confident, reduce their anxiety, and improve their reading and writing. There is room in the schools for many more therapy dog teams, and it would be great if you and your dog trained to be a team and joined us for all the fun times! Big Friendly Dog Training is a professional, in-home dog training company that services Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas. We specialize in negative behaviors such as aggres- sion and anxiety. We also have puppy training and basic obedience training programs. CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE 405-493-6490 | toll free 800-649-7297 training@bigfriendlydogtraining.com | www.bigfriendlydogtraining.com Hazel the Australian Shep- herd therapy dog and her second-grade“tiny people” gather in the reading area of their classroom atWill Rogers Elementary School in Putnam City.