Dogs came to the North Port Library last week to help nurture future bookworms.

"Are you ready to read to him?" Kathy Walker asked Claire Temple, 4, after they petted the silky ears of Jager, a Delta Society therapy dog, on Jan. 4. "He loves kids to read to him."

Members of the Suncoast Humane Society Pet Therapy Team are at the library from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month to help encourage young readers and revel at the rewards.

"The dogs don't laugh at them, they don't correct them, they just listen," said Sy Levine as his dog, Willie, became less the center of attention and more a canine companion.

Julie Temple said she was pleasantly surprised to discover the program with her daughters.

"It's really neat because they love animals," she said. "They don't have a dog at home, so this makes it really special for them."

She was glad to see the girls glued to every page, pronouncing words for their new reading buddies, especially because there has been some resistance to the process.

Most children become relaxed in the presence of a dog and can focus on each page while improving their speech, Walker said.

"It gives them a new perspective on reading," she said.

Wagging tails and smiling faces were seen at each reading station, where children made new friends or visited old ones.

Five-year-old Caiden Buchman showed up with books in hand, ready to share his words.

"It's a good thing that Dixie is here so she can hear the next story," he said.

The program occurs monthly at south Sarasota County libraries. See the schedules on online calendars at suncat.co.sarasota.fl.us.
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