RETIRED RACING GREYHOUND PART OF READING SESSIONS AT SOUTH CANTERBURY LIBRARY
Source: Stuff (Extract)
Posted: July 12, 2022
He raced 19 times across New Zealand and Australia, and now a retired champion racing greyhound is helping young children build their confidence in reading, while providing a non-judgemental ear.
Wolfie, the four-year-old greyhound, has frequented schools in the area to teach children how to interact with animals, and now he is collaborating with the Waimate District Library to help children read.
“Wolfie is perfectly suited to his new job of helping kids with reading,’’ Wolfie’s owner, and Waimate District Council animal control officer, Linda Shefford said.
‘’Reading with Wolfie is designed to provide a calm, non-threatening atmosphere which encourages children to practice their reading skills and develop a love for reading.’’
“Wolfie already does sessions with schools in the area, and so we thought since he is such a relaxed dog it would be a great way to encourage not so confident kids to read more confidently, by reading to him.”
Shefford has had a career working with animals, working as a qualified vet nurse, and is now an animal control officer, and has animal behavioural training.
Always having large dog breeds and not wanting to go through the “puppy stage”, Shefford came across greyhounds when she was in the process of looking for another dog to bring into her home.
“I never thought I would get a greyhound, but I obviously loved it because after I got Wolfie, I adopted another greyhound Titan,” she said.
Wolfie has been part of Shefford’s family for four months and has been tested for working with children and has been in Waimate schools for a few months, Shefford said.
“When Wolfie isn’t working he can be found sleeping,” she said.
“He has his own couch, he is a spoilt monkey.”
Shefford said she is very excited about the Reading with Wolfie programme as through her work with schools she has seen first-hand how dogs can make kids more confident, and it will be an extension of what she does during the school term teaching children how to interact with dogs.
“This is about fun, and he is such a lovely dog, and he will love being read to by the kids,” Shefford said.
