VISTA: Dog works his charm in special ed classroom

By John Raifsnider - For The North County Times | Friday, October 24, 2008 10:11 PM PDT ∞

VISTA ---- Students enrolled in a special education program for third- through fifth-graders at Hannalei Elementary School have a new friend in their classroom this fall.

A 2-year-old golden retriever/Labrador mix named Fairfax joined the seven students in Robin Hooper's special day class on a full-time basis this year.


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Fairfax is the second therapy dog placed at Hannalei by Oceanside-based Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit group that provides highly trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities.

Last year, Laiker, another retriever mix, was placed in the classroom of Lynn Schumacher, who teaches kindergarten through second grade special education at Hannalei.

"Having Fairfax in the classroom this year has made a world of difference," said Hooper, a graduate of Rancho Buena Vista High and Cal State San Marcos who has been teaching at Hannalei for four years.

"The kids are having a great time with Fairfax, and he just loves them and enjoys being around them," she said. "It's a win-win deal for everyone."  

Katie Malatino of Canine Companions said Fairfax is the seventh dog from the program to serve in North County schools.

Formed in 1975, the nonprofit group has trained and placed more than 3,000 canines in the United States, including more than 750 in the western states, which includes Hawaii. Less than 40 percent of the animals that enter the "six-month doggie boot camp" graduate and are graded as acceptable for placement.

Canine Companions places four types of assistance dogs: service dogs for adults with physical disabilities; skilled companions for children and adults with emotional, developmental or physical disabilities; hearing dogs for people who are deaf or hard of hearing; and "facility dogs" for professionals to help promote healing and help therapy for patients, students or residents in their care.

The dogs serve a wide range of disabilities, including those with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, stroke, hearing loss and developmental delays.

Facility dog recipients, such as Hooper, are required to attend a two-week training session with the animal before it is released into their permanent custody. Free refresher training is available annually from Canine Companions, but food, supplies and veterinary costs are the responsibility of the dog's custodian.

Hooper, 26, said she incorporates Fairfax into her daily teaching routine by having students count the number of times they pet the animal, and how many treats they give him during the day. Fairfax has also learned to bow to students and to spin a bingo game wheel.

Fairfax can also provide comfort to students who aren't having the best of days, something he wasn't specifically trained to do, said Hooper.

"He can sense when a student is having a tough day," said Hooper. "He'll go over to that student and nudge them to get them to pet him," she said. "It's a great way of distracting them from whatever happens to be bothering them that day, and it usually helps get their attention back on what we're doing in class."

Hooper said she can also use one-on-one time with Fairfax as a "carrot": "Spending time with Fairfax is a great motivator for good behavior."

The dog can also help quiet the classroom when her students are rambunctious.

"I call him the 'calming mist' in the class," she said. "Whenever the kids are getting a little bit rowdy, he knows when and how to get their attention.

"Fairfax just lies down in the middle of them and puts his head on their laps, and they all want to pet him," Hooper added. "He can change the mood of the kids in an instant."