Great listener’: These pups are all ears at Bradford reading program
The Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library has partnered with the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program as a way to encourage children to read
By Marg Bruineman for Bradford Today
There’s just something special in watching a child read a book aloud to an attentive dog.
The Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library has partnered with the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program as a way to encourage children to read. The first Saturday of the month, two dogs and their owners, who are local, come into the library, with the dogs serving as patient listeners through the Paws 4 Reading program.
“One of the things dogs could be trained for is to be a great listener for children who are struggling to read,” says Kathryn Stark, the library’s manager of community engagement “It gives them the opportunity to read out loud to someone who isn’t going to correct them or judge them as they read.
“It’s a bit of a stress release. It takes away that stress and fear from reading out loud for the kids.”
The program had been running prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but like many things involving events where people gathered, it came to an abrupt end. Stark revived the program in 2024.
“It’s really appreciated by families. They love being able to have a nice way to read out loud and most children love the dogs, so it’s a bit of fun for them,” she says. “It takes some of the fear out of reading as well.”
Among the readers are six-year-old Bryson Hardat.
“You can have fun and read books,” says the Cookstown Central Public School student, who appreciates spending time with Forrest, a labrador retriever, as he goes through a book. “He puts his head on my lap.”
His mom, Gail Hazlett, a cultural services specialist at the library, recognizes the importance of literacy. And she appreciates that learning takes on many different forms.
She sees the Paws program as an opportunity for children to have a different environment in which to explore books.
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