Therapy dogs to be released in UAE to help children read

CAIRO - 24 September 2017: The United Arab Emirates is launching therapy dogs to help children boost their confidence while reading in front of a group.

A therapy dog is a dog that is trained to provide affection and comfort to people in schools, nurseries, or hospitals.

This initiative is set to be launched in the UAE this October. It is designed to help kids overcome their fear of reading out loud or reading in front of a group.

As mentioned in The National, “Thor the schnauzer; Lost the German shepherd; Xena the Pomeranian; Remy the wheaten terrier; Luna the pomsky; Chip the French bulldog; Wasabi the Maltese; and Milo, Willow and Bertie the golden retrievers will all make an appearance in classrooms.”

Karalynn Thomson, managing director of the Animal Agency said to The National that “studies showed that reading to dogs helps children’s reading ability, plus it hosts social and emotional benefits. The main issue that scares children of reading out loud is the fear of failure, but when they read to dogs they do not correct them or stop them or hurry them, and this gives them confidence.”