In Estonia, this canine curiosity has been translated into an educational tool through the lugemiskoer (reading dog) program. What started as a small pilot project in 2013 at the Tallinn Central Library, with a husky named Susi, has grown into a nationwide program. Today, nineteen dog teams work across libraries and schools, coordinated by the NGO Estonian Assistant and Therapy Dog Association (Eesti Abi- ja Teraapiakoerte Ühing).
The concept is simple. Children read aloud to a dog. Unlike humans, dogs don’t judge. They don’t interrupt to correct a mispronounced word, and they don’t lose patience when a child stutters or pauses to spell out a difficult syllable. As Maarja Tali, a pioneer of the program and whose dog was Susi, explains, “The reading project is one of those where a child who has difficulty learning to read can [do so] with a friend and without stress.” This stress-free environment is crucial for children who may have developed anxiety around reading in traditional classroom settings.
