Pupils read tales to shaggy dog

Children are reading books to dogs as part of a scheme to improve literacy. Sarah Ellis takes her dogs Charlie and Saffron to her local primary school and library at Templeton in Pembrokeshire for sessions with youngsters.

She is the first person in Wales to qualify with the Reading Education Assistance Dogs scheme, which is popular in the USA and Canada.

Ms Ellis said reading out loud could be frightening for children but the dogs helped them to relax.



"Dogs can be so therapeutic. They can be therapeutic when you've had a bad day at work," she said.

"You go home, give them a cuddle and it's all better. You can tell them what you like, they don't repeat it and I think it works for the kids who might have a problem with reading.

"I remember from school myself having to stand up and read out loud. This is one to one, sitting in a corner of the library with just me, the dog and the child."

With news video and audio.