A DOG breeder from the Borders is making headlines Down Under with her unique approach to teaching children to read.

Kath Outerson, who was born and brought up in Forest Gardens, Galashiels, has livened up reading time at New Zealand’s Tuatapere Waiau Area School in a special programme proving popular with pupils and puppies.

Kath’s specially trained Golden Retrievers pick up a basket of books and take it to the children who select a book and then read it to the dog which appears to watch the page intently.

And the story has created headlines in her local paper the Southland Times.

Dog behaviourist and breeder Kath, aged 50, who has lived in New Zealand for many years, first learnt of the technique from an Austrailian project: 'Story Dogs’ which aims to help reluctant readers.

The Australian Story Dogs is a non-for-profit organisation founded in 2009 based on a successful American Literacy program. The former Galashiels Academy pupil said: “The reaction from the kids has just been overwhelming - they love the interaction with dogs.” Kath is a qualified dog behaviourist who graduated with merit from the Dog Behaviour Practitioner Diploma run by the British College Of Canine Studies.

In the school newsletter, principal Elizabeth Hannah writes that the program was “fantastic” and a “popular activity”.

Hannah said: “A dog doesn’t judge how well you read, how many words you stumble over, they just listen, without judgement,” Waiau Area School senior English Teacher Jennifer Smart says the school found that the students really respond to the dogs.

Jennifer said: “The dogs don’t put any pressure on the kids and they don’t feel intimidated by the dogs. The kids absolutely love the dogs and they are always cuddling them, “Reading is often about overcoming fears, and associating positive feelings with the act of reading can help children grow in confidence.

“This is where the dogs come in. Dogs are non-judgmental and happily bask in the attention of a child. The child becomes the teacher while reading to the dog and starts to open up and have fun with reading.” Kath said that she hopes to interest other schools and libraries in the project.