Many people are surprised to find a dog in the library, but Grant is here to help children improve their reading skills! He is the star of a program at the Milford Memorial Library called “Tales with Tails.” This program is designed to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of a registered therapy dog. The library will use only those dogs that have passed the required obedience and temperament testing, and are registered by an accredited therapy dog organization.

Reading to dogs offers children who struggle with their skills the opportunity to read to a non-judgmental listener. Struggling readers are often embarrassed to read in front of their peers, though a dog will never criticize or laugh at them if they stumble or make a mistake. Research on Animal Assisted Therapy and Activities also shows that the presence of an animal encourages relaxation, lowering blood pressure and heart rate. Animals make people less self-conscious, and cause them to focus less on limitations and pain. Children that formerly did not enjoy reading often begin to look forward to sessions with a furry friend. As they start associating time spent with the dog with reading, they begin to view reading in a positive light. In time, the child’s reading ability and confidence can improve because they are practicing their skills in a comfortable environment, which will make them enjoy reading even more.

Grant is a former competition obedience dog, and belongs to Aimee Clark, the Special Projects Coordinator at the Milford Memorial Library. He has been a registered therapy dog since 2007.

Click here to read a feature article on Grant that appeared in the September/October issue of Okoboji Magazine.