In keeping with the Summer Reading Program theme of "Tails and Tales," the Honey Brook Community Library recently hosted a program featuring therapy dogs Lily and Pansy and their owner, Liz Alakszay.

During the event, held outdoors behind the library, the dogs impressed patrons of all ages with their ability to listen to commands and identify colors.

Lily demonstrated that she was able to obey simple words written on cards. "Dogs can learn visual cues from different shapes, so the words 'sit' and 'down' are on shapes and she associates that with a behavior," Alakszay explained, noting that Lily is an English setter/border collie mix. "They were bred to herd sheep and cattle. They are super smart."

Lily was also able to identify a blue or yellow ring when presented with rings of those colors. "I make it easier by having (rings) that are two slightly different sizes. The next step would be to have (the objects) be identical," Alakszay said.

Lily's canine sister, Pansy, is an English setter. "They are bird dogs," Alakszay said, throwing a stuffed pheasant for Pansy to catch and fetch. "A Labrador will go out in the water and pick up birds. But with an English setter, a (hunter) will point out the bird and tell the dog to go find it."

Pansy was able to stand on a bowl and twirl around using her front paws. "(English setters) have a laid-back personality. We do a little bit of work, and we have a lot of fun," noted Alakszay. "It's all about fun and games when you are a setter."

Alakszay and the dogs visit nursing homes and offer reading programs at local libraries, providing children with a comfortable environment to practice their reading skills. "They are nonjudgmental listeners," Alakszay said. "It boosts confidence, and it also is relaxing to have a dog around."

On one occasion, Lily and Alakszay visited a school to help students who had been bullied and were afraid to come to school. The students spent time with Lily over a period of six weeks, and the youngsters learned to better communicate by interacting with their new canine friend. Therapy dogs are also utilized in businesses and in courtroom settings to help people relax during stressful situations.

"(Lily and Pansy) are high-energy dogs. They really need the equivalent of 6 miles of exercise a day," Alakszay pointed out. "It's 3 miles in the morning and 3 miles in the evening. Over the course of the Fourth of July weekend, we did a 30-mile hike."

The Honey Brook Community Library is located at 687 Compass Road, Honey Brook. For more information about upcoming Summer Reading Program activities, visit http://www.honeybrooklibrary.org or search for "Honey Brook Community Library" on Facebook.