Dog visits make reading more relaxing (+video)

Reading out loud has never been more relaxing than one day a week at Sunset Primary School.

Max the huntaway-cross loves nothing more than to lie down in the school's library and listen to the stories that the children read him.

He's been going to the school every week this year in a pilot project run by handler, and semi-retired teacher Sandy Anderson. She said she had heard about reading to dogs in other schools and thought Max would be ideal to test it out in Rotorua.

"Reading out loud doesn't happen much now," she said.

"Families are busy and technology has taken over. It's just to keep their interest in books and literature."

Max, who is an "elderly" rescue dog, visits the school for around 90 minutes. Each week a different class has the opportunity to read out loud to him.

"It gives them confidence. They're reading to a non-judgmental, non-critical listener. They read one book and then often they'll want to read another one because he's such a good listener. I've seen confidence in them from reading out loud."

Principal Niels Rasmussen said he was a "little bit reticent" to begin with but now enjoyed the regular visits.

"On one hand we discourage dogs at the school but on the other we're encouraging this one," he said.

"He's on a different level. The kids love reading to him. There's no criticism or judgment but there's that reading mileage. I think it's neat and it creates a good feeling among children."

There are other reading to dogs programmes across New Zealand in libraries in the United States and Australia.