Youth services at the Peter White Public Library have gone to the dogs!

Every Thursday night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. all children are invited to Paw Pals with Pet Partners where they can visit or read to a friendly, calm dog in the Great Room, located in the lower level of the library.

“It’s a nonjudgmental transition to reading, and you also get to love on big and little dogs,” said Ruth Ammons, who works in the PWPL Youth Services department.

The local group Superiorland Pet Partners is on a mission to improve human health with therapy animals.

Handlers from the group come with dogs of all shapes, sizes and personalities to give children a chance to interact with the animals in a public space. Participants can choose from a selection of reading material laid out by the library staff to read with a pet.

“Dogs are non-threatening. They don’t correct the reader,” Kelly December of Superiorland Pet Partners said.

Therapy dog handlers only help readers when asked. Otherwise, kids are free to interpret each book as they see fit.

“To see them struggling with reading to becoming really good readers is fun to watch,” December said.

As stated in previous editorials, we always appreciate the emphasis on reading, especially in the new, digital world. When children are learning to read and put words together, they can struggle at times. We can’t think of a better way to put them at ease than with a pup.

This session of Paw Pals with Pet Partners runs until the end of April. Registration is not required, but advance registration is available. For more information, call 906-226-4320, visit www.pwpl.info or find Peter White Public Library Youth Services on Facebook.