Film: Dr. Dog (India)

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00:00:00: SOUND UP; [MUSIC PLAYS]
00:00:06: NANDITA: I’m Nandita Krishna. I’m the founder of the Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation [CHILDREN’S VOICES] The Foundation has set up many institutes, such as the C.P.R. Environmental Education Center, the C.P.R. Institute of Hindulogical Research, C.P. Art Center, and the Saraswathi Kendra Learning Center for children, with dyslexia, autism, learning disabilities, ADD and so on.
00:00:35: NANDITA: Doctor Dog is a program that was really started in Hong Kong by Animals Asia Foundation. [CHLDREN’S VOICES] In [PLACE NAME] there are about 20 dogs in the program. They go to different schools. Some of the schools are for the retarded children with Downs’ Syndrome and so on. [CHILDREN’S VOICES] We found that it was very good at making children speak.; TEENAGED BOY: His name is Mikey. Yes, Mi-key.; YOUNG WOMAN: I have a dog. It's a boxer. Its name is Bruno. Very friendly. Loves to play with people. My pastime is, you know, spending time with them.
00:01:24: NANDITA: Dogs are not threatening. The child feels superior, and there’s no pressure on the child, whereas when the parents say Do this, or the teacher tries to teach—in the kindest way possible—that is still too much pressure on the child.; NANDITA: [WITH CHILDREN] Talk to Jawal. Ask her, can you ask her what she had to eat?; YOUNG WOMAN: What did you eat? Jawal, what did you eat?; NANDITA: Whereas here he’s talking to another being who cannot talk at all.; YOUNG WOMAN: Yeah, dogs are so friendly.; TEENAGE BOY: It's a golden retriever, what I’ve got at home.
00:01:59: NANDITA: It is so much easier when there is a dog and they are able to talk.; YOUNG WOMAN: If you love to be with dogs, it’s not hard at all.; TEENAGE BOY: I take him for walks every day.; [GROUP TALKING]
00:02:17: NANDITA: We just saw a case of a young boy who could barely speak, and he brought out one sentence, to tell the dog to give him a kiss.; [DOG SOUNDS OF PLEASURE]; YOUNG WOMAN: Good to have a dog. It's fun.; END OF FILM

Now Viewing: Dr. Dog

Education and personal growth can come in many forms. The Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation brings dogs into schools to help children break through their shyness, especially the developmentally challenged. Children with ADD, autism, and other developmental disabilities improve their speaking and social skills with the help of the program.