What's up dog?

At 9 weeks old Greta began her guide dog training.She qualified and worked for a blind person.Greta's help enabled her owner to run a business and carry on with a rewarding life for which she was very grateful.When Greta retired from this demanding role we were fortunate enough to be able to adopt her.We were very keen to make use of her wonderful skills and training and so put her forward for selection as a Reading Buddy Dog. This volunteer scheme is run by Hamilton City Council Library Service and involved an hour long, videod series of tests and challenges which were then analysed and assessed by an animal psychologist.We were delighted when Greta was accepted for this role and since then she has worked consistently with large numbers of children in schools and libraries throughout the city. Her presence and personality have been especially helpful for autistic children and for building confidence around dogs. Seeing Greta playing with her canine colleagues at the start of each session is a real delight for everyone. Research has proved that Reading Buddy programmes help to remove some of the barriers to literacy which can be experienced.Greta provides a soothing reading sessionwith a non judgmental canine friend. Her arrival at any venue is always greeted with joyous enthusiasm by staff and students alike.She has a huge impact.