Case Study: Building Confidence in Writing Through Animal Assisted Interventions

When Ben entered fourth grade in fall 2023, he brought with him a love of reading—but also a deep frustration with writing. Spelling challenges made even simple writing tasks feel overwhelming, and he often shut down or became discouraged before getting started.

That began to change in fall 2024, when Ben was introduced to animal-assisted intervention (AAI) as part of his reading and writing support.

From the very first session, his reading specialist, Gina Hattenhaur, noticed a shift.

Ben showed up differently.

In AAI-supported sessions, he was more open, more engaged, and noticeably more willing to try. Tasks that once felt intimidating were met with curiosity instead of resistance. He began writing words and sentences without hesitation—and even took ownership of his learning by explaining spelling rules out loud to his therapy dog partner.

What once caused frustration became something he could approach with confidence.

Over the course of the school year, Ben’s growth extended beyond skill-building. His mindset changed. Writing was no longer something to avoid—it became something he could do.

Today, Ben approaches writing tasks with greater assurance and resilience, a reflection of both his hard work and the power of a supportive, relationship-based approach with a therapy dog/handler team by his side.

At The Calais Method, this is the impact of intentional AAI: creating space for students to feel safe enough to try, supported enough to persist, and confident enough to succeed.