DOG-EARED PAGE-TURNERS: HOW TASHI AND 388 OTHER DOGS ARE HELPING AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN READ

She loves pats, never judges, and lets you go at your own pace. For hundreds of Australian primary school children, a four-legged reading companion is making all the difference.

A Very Special Reading Partner

Every Friday morning at a primary school library in Sydney’s Bondi, a seven-year-old named Harlow settles onto the couch next to Tashi and begins to read. She sounds out words slowly, giggling at the pictures of Pig the Pug looking decidedly stinky. Twenty minutes later, she is done — and five more children, each with their own dedicated slot, take their turn.

The only thing unusual about this scene is that Tashi is a ten-year-old miniature poodle.

Tashi is one of 389 dogs across Australia participating in a literacy programme called Story Dogs, which helps primary school students build the confidence and ability to read aloud. According to co-founder Janine Sigley, it is the non-judgmental nature of dogs that makes them the perfect reading companion — especially for children who feel anxious reading in front of a group, have additional learning needs, or simply do not get much opportunity to read at home.

Reading Without Pressure

Each dog is accompanied by its owner, who volunteers to help children work through difficult words and build a genuine connection with the students. The dog, meanwhile, sits quietly, accepts pats, and offers nothing but a warm and accepting presence.

“For children who have ADHD or learning difficulties, they can take a breath, take their time, gently stroke the dog and go at their own pace,” says Sigley.

“Education systems can put a lot of pressure on young children to read, and if they do not get it straight away they can become extremely anxious. This way, they can make mistakes and it is okay. The children want to do their best for the dog — they form a really strong bond, and they actually go home and practise.”

The programme was founded by Sigley and Leah Sheldon in regional New South Wales in 2009, in response to growing concern about literacy disadvantage among young children who had not had an equal start. Modelled on a similar initiative in the United States, Story Dogs has since grown to operate in every Australian state and territory except the Northern Territory.

The Numbers Tell the Story

The need for programmes like this is real. Recent NAPLAN results show that four in ten students perform below expectations in grammar and punctuation, while one in three continue to fall behind benchmarks in reading and spelling.

Tashi’s Story

Sue Bognar first discovered Story Dogs after recognising that Tashi — whom she adopted at five years old — was something rather special: a rare combination of calm, placid, and deeply loving. She reached out to Bondi Public School three years ago, where her grandchildren attend, and it is now the only primary school in Sydney running the programme.

Each Friday at 9am, Bognar arrives with Tashi and they read together for around two hours — until the dog, as Bognar puts it, gets “a bit past it.”

“It is the association of pleasure with reading,” she says. “If we can do that, then we have achieved a lot.”

On a recent Friday, Harlow read aloud from Pig the Grub — a tale about an extremely grubby dog. She navigated the tricky pronunciation of the word “hygiene” with a little help, which quickly led to a cheerful conversation about dogs rolling in unsavoury things.

“My dog only rolled in poop once,” Harlow said, grinning. “Now she never does.”

Bognar, who spent fifty years working in education and as a librarian before retiring, knows better than most just how much early reading confidence matters.

“If children are not confident by the end of year two, it just gets harder and harder,” she says. “Dogs love everyone. They do not judge. They do not complain. And that is wonderful.”

A Star Who Does Not Know It

When the two hours are up, Tashi is inevitably swarmed by children eager to pat the story dog one last time. Asked whether Tashi is aware of her growing fame, Bognar smiles.

“No, she does not need to be a star. She does not become big-headed. She is just very caring and happy to do whatever. It is not often you get someone in your life like that.”