Menu Content/Inhalt
Home
Integrating Assistance Dogs into Learning Experiences and Therapy Sessions
Written by Diane Rampelberg   

Welcome to Dustin's Paw Website
We are dedicated to turning challenges into miracles!

Rachel practicing fine and gross motor skills, colors, shapes and socialization by playing 'baby' with Dustin, Dustin's Paw facility dog.Since 2000 we have been providing canine enhanced learning activities and therapy for disabled children. Working as an integral part of the professional team, we provide creative, interactive canine/child activities designed to captivate and entice special needs children to accomplish their learning and therapy goals.

Many of the children with whom we work have not been reached by traditional forms of instruction and therapy. By taking advantage of the unique bond between children and dogs we provide the needed motivation for a child to continue working toward the accomplishment of his or her goals and independence.

Visually-impaired student Rachel plays “baby” with Dustin. Accompanied by teacher/handler Diane Rampelberg, Dustin’s Paw interactive play themed “kits” encourage development of many of the student’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) goals such as fine and gross motor skills, colors, shapes, and socialization. Asked what was her favorite activity to “play” with Dustin, Rachel replied, “Baby is my favorite game, but I like walking Dustin the best!” – Candy Ritcher of The Times.

One of the best speech therapists, Ovelle, Dustin's Paw facility dog, is encouraging Matthew 's interaction, sharing, turn-taking, sounds and words.

Meet Matthew, a student in Mary Shide-Hartje’s Communication Class. He’s learning to take his turn while putting together a puzzle with Ovelle. To play, Ovelle needs to “GET” the puzzle piece out by grasping the piece knob in her teeth and then pulling it out of puzzle or dropping the piece in and pushing it in place with her nose – sometimes with a little help from Matthew. Mary says, “Our Dustin’s Paw dogs are some of the best speech therapists! They encourage interactions, sharing, turn-taking, sounds, words, and just general communication in a very fun and motivating way.”

We, also, provide printed and web based training materials for those interested in using assistance or therapy dogs to enhance the learning and therapy processes of special needs children. And, we give demonstrations and presentations showing the value of Canine Enhanced Learning and Therapy to schools, and other organizations concerned with the well being and quality of life of special needs children.

Interested? Find out more about us by browsing this site using the main menu. Contact us if you don't see what you want.