All About Our Pup-pose

Take a Paws is a dog-assisted reading and calming program designed to help children feel more confident, focused, and relaxed—one wag at a time. Our certified therapy dogs visit classrooms, libraries, and after-school programs to create supportive spaces where kids can read, regulate, and reset.

Research shows that therapy dogs can make a powerful difference in a child’s learning environment. Studies have found that children who read with a therapy dog show improved reading fluency, reduced anxiety, and higher motivation to read. In several school-based programs, students demonstrated up to a 12–20% increase in reading accuracy after consistent sessions with therapy animals.

For children with ADHD specifically, therapy dogs can offer meaningful emotional and behavioral support. Evidence indicates that dog-assisted interventions can lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, helping children regulate their emotions more effectively during challenging moments. Many studies also note that students with ADHD experience improved attention span, reduced impulsive behaviors, and smoother transitions when therapy dogs are present in the classroom. Simply petting a calm dog for a few minutes has been shown to slow heart rate and promote relaxation, making learning environments feel less overwhelming. At Take a Paws, our mission is simple:
Use the comfort and confidence-boosting power of therapy dogs to help children fall in love with reading—and help them feel safe, supported, and capable. Whether a child is practicing reading aloud, navigating ADHD-related challenges, or simply needing a quiet moment to reset, our therapy dogs provide gentle companionship that makes learning feel welcoming.

Because sometimes all a child needs…
is to take a paws.