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Canines Highlight Tampa School's Holiday Show

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2008

TAMPA - Dorothy Thomas School put a different twist on the traditional school holiday show today with a wheelchair square dance, alternative song lyrics and puppy performers.

The school has no formal music program, so teachers put together acts in their classes. Students donned reindeer noses and waved props for a "Rudolph" number, jammed with teachers on guitars and keyboards and jumped from their seats to sing and dance in the annual "Feliz Navidad" sing-a-long.

But the Kids and Canines program provided the only entertainment with four legs and a tail.

Dorothy Thomas is a public school that has students from elementary through high school and serves children with special needs, emotional and behavioral problems and family instability. It is known for its service dog program, which selects students to train dogs that will be placed with children or adults with disabilities or autism.

Program director Jennifer Wise said the students created performances for the holiday show based on the work they do in class. They train the dogs to respond to commands and ignore distractions, while slipping them treats as rewards for good behavior.

But Wise warned the students before the show that everything might not go perfectly.

"I tell the kids, it's like your first children in their first show," Wise said. "If they screw up, it's OK. You just have to deal with it."

The golden retrievers and Labradoodles cooperated for the most part, outside occasionally being slow to respond to commands.

The older dogs trotted in a circle around a decorated tree with their handlers to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," changing direction when directed and sitting, shaking paws with their humans and lying down in unison.

Then, the dogs took a break while the students led the school in a Kids and Canines version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." It swapped partridges and pear trees for "A golden pup, a service dog to be" and turtle doves and golden rings for "two teacher friends" and "five recipients."

Because the future service dogs may need to work with owners in wheelchairs, Wise teaches her students to use wheelchairs as well for practice with the dogs. The students and Assistant Program Director Mary Maas showed off their wheelchair skills with a holiday square dance. They scooted in a line of six chairs, spun in circles with partners and wove around each other.

The performance culminated with the newest service-dogs-in-training. Adult volunteers who help with puppies twice a week led their charges through walking and sitting commands to music.

Kids and Canines started 11 years ago to tackle truancy. Working with the dogs motivates students to come to class regularly, and the animals have a calming effect on children who might feel angry or misunderstood.

Ebonie Bridges, an eighth-grader, joined Kids and Canines last year and has learned to teach dogs to roll over, sit, lie down and even turn on lights.

She reassured her dog, Joanie, she was in safe company, so she didn't get overwhelmed at the school assembly. Joanie is scheduled to be paired with an autistic child.

Ebonie, 15, said she benefits from the interaction, too.

"I felt like that no one could understand me more than a dog can," she said.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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