Cookie the reading dog is so popular, Canterbury school children are queuing up just to give her a pat.
The four-year-old, curly-haired crossbreed visits Ararira Springs Primary School in Lincoln once a week.
"She will walk in the class, lie down on her back, stick her tummy in the air and just wait to see who will come and give her tummy tickles," said her owner Jo Wager.
"The children just love her, we have to try and enforce the four children rule so she doesn’t get totally mobbed.
"We just say four children at a time stroking her, that works quite well, lining up for a quick stroke and then moving on. She’s a bit of a star."
Wager signed up for the St John Therapy Pets Reading Education Assistance Dogs programme six months ago.
The programme aims to reduce anxiety for school children who are afraid of reading aloud, helping them to become more relaxed and involved in learning.
Ararira Springs teacher Kelly McIntyre said the goal has certainly been realised at the school with Cookie's help.
"It’s such as good way of calming children.
"Cookie is just an amazing dog. She gets her belly rubbed, then the kids just line up ... to read to her,” McIntyre said.
In her year 3 and 4 classroom, McIntyre had to draw up a roster to make sure every child who wanted to read to Cookie could.
"It gives them a positive attitude towards reading if they get to read to a dog."
Meanwhile, pupils in teacher Megan Newton’s classroom enjoyed having Cookie around so much they donated $260 from the proceeds of a market day they held to the St John Therapy Pets programme.
St John community care manager Pam Hall said as well as the reading programme, the therapy pets visit rest homes, hospitals, schools and other health services in Canterbury.
It also partnered with Christchurch Airport to ease feelings of anxiety for passengers who may have a fear of flying or did not like to fly alone.
In Christchurch, there are 28 volunteers and dogs in the St John programme.
- Four annual recruitment opportunities are held a year and anyone who wishes to enrol their sociable and loving pooch in the programme should visit join@stjohn.org.nz.
