Our canines can do amazing things: fetch the daily newspaper, sit on command, and give us well-deserved cuddles when we’re having a bad day. However, sometimes our pups need a little something extra special in return.
One reading therapy dog from Minnesota by the name of Sting (don’t let his name fool you, he’s a sweetheart!) appeared “sad” one day when nobody showed up to read to him at White Bear Lake Library.
Fortunately, John Muellner, owner of Sting, posted on his Facebook page a post including images of the “lonely” pup, asking if any of his friends knew anyone aged 4 to 8 who would be interested in reading to the dog. Shortly after, the message went viral.
With over 100,000 shares, the Minnesota library Sting worked at received hundreds of calls, even from the West Coast, asking to read to Sting, with some also opting to do so through the phone.
John informs us that Sting the greyhound is not actually “lonely” as depicted in his seemingly sad images. Instead, Sting is a very introverted, quiet, and relaxed pup. Still, friends from afar reached out to the canine to make him feel extra special, and of course, reading to Sting made those involved feel special too.
Reading to therapy dogs has been proven to be beneficial for children who are just learning how to read, have learning deficits or behavioral problems, and/or aren’t a fan of reading.
The idea behind this reading therapy is to help children associate something positive (i.e., reading to a furry friend) with reading. Those who are self-conscious of their reading level find that reading to a calm, patient therapy pet helps them build self-esteem and not feel judged while getting to practice their out-loud reading.
Watch the video below to get the full details of Sting the greyhound and how he went viral on the web.
