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Gentle Andy Is 'All Ears'
Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor
S
ome dogs are notorious for
chewing up books. Not Andy
Every Thursday at 3:30, just
after school lets out, you'll find this pure-
bred yellow Labrador retriever settling
in at the Huntington Woods Library.
He's joined each week by a crowd of
about 10 young children, who select
books they think Andy will like and
take turns reading aloud to him.
Everybody is happy — just ask Jane
Alkon of Royal Oak, the other half of
this nationally registered pet therapy
team and Andy's owner.
"It's fabulous because kids can relate
to a dog and read to a dog without feel-
ing judged or corrected:' Alkon says.
"There's so much value reading to a
dog. It helps kids improve their reading
and self-esteem and self-confidence.
Just last week, a little boy who never
reads out loud, sat and read to Andy.
His mother was blown away."
And Andy doesn't get tired of hear-
ing the same stories. The kids show
him the photos. He listens, then zooms
in and gives them a lick. He also gets
plenty of petting and cuddling.
Andy and Alkon are part of a nation-
al program called R.E.A.D. (Reading
Education Assistance Dogs). The pair
began volunteering in the children's
section at the Troy Library, then
in Southfield; now they are at the
Huntington Woods library only every Jane Alkon and her therapy dog, Andy
Thursday for about 90 minutes.
Alkon grew up in Huntington Woods
to visit at the Fleischman Residence
and knows the library well.
Memory Care Unit in West Bloomfield. A
"We love having Andy in the library',' longtime member at Temple Beth El in
says director Anne Hage."He's great
Bloomfield Township, Alkon is looking
with the kids, and they are not inhib-
forward to the experience.
ited when they read to him. He doesn't
Andy also goes to work daily at the
budge; he just just sits and listens. He
family-owned business, Len Alkon Group
has quite the following."
Real Estate in Southfield, where Alkon
The children call Alkon "Mrs. Jane,"
works with her father, Leonard. He and
though she's not married and says, "It's
Andy have their own morning routine
just me and my boy, Andy."
that ends with apple slices as a treat for
Alkon has had two other yellow Labs,
Andy, who eats a natural diet of fruits,
but neither had the temperament to
vegetables, salmon, eggs and herbs.
become a therapy dog, she says. Andy,
Inspired by her dog, Alkon has writ-
now 3, came with Alkon when he was 6
ten two books about him — Mr. Boy
months old to visit her father in the hos- and the just-released The Remarkable
pital. He was calm and behaved. She got
Mr. Boy, which chronicles their experi-
the idea he might be a good therapy dog. ences as a registered pet therapy team.
"I loved it; he loved it:' Alkon said. "If
She — and Andy — will be part
I wanted to continue, I had to get him
of the local author's day from 9 a.m.-
registered. To train him, I exposed him
noon Sunday, Nov.6, at the Jewish
to everybody, everywhere. He's a regu-
Community Center of Greater Ann
lar at Trader Joe's and Panera where
Arbor Jewish Book Festival.
there are so many people and so many
"I'm really fortunate to have such a
distractions."
fabulous dog and to have experiences
He earned his credentials easily, and
I didn't think I'd have she says. "My
they are registered through Therapy
world keeps expanding." II
Dogs Inc. As members of Therapaws,
they volunteer often at hospitals, nursing To learn more about Alkon's books,
homes and the Veterans Administration
go to mrboybooks.com or email
hospital, and have just been asked
mrboy@mrboybooks.com.
14 CONTENTS
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