For some children who have difficulty with reading, a therapy dog can be just the thing when it comes to providing a fun and non-judgmental learning environment.

Locally, this is where Lyn Walfish and Trey, a 6-year-old collie, may come in. Walfish is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with a graduate degree in social work who worked with adolescents in foster care early in her career, and went on to spend more time as a school social worker and in private psychotherapy practice. At one point, Walfish was also a teacher at Huckleberry Hill Elementary School in Lynnfield.

Earlier in her psychotherapy career, Walfish had a dog who was eager to join her at appointments. Although the dog did not have any particular training in this area, "she was really very good about it," said Walfish.

Having watched people and pets interact for years, Walfish notes that animals can be very helpful to those in distress. In fact, as a cancer survivor herself, Walfish can relate to this bond, recalling how her previous dog was always at her side and how "her beautiful calm presence was very important to me."

While her first dog was a collie mix, Trey is a full blooded Collie. This family interest dates back to the "Lassie" era, when Walfish's father had them. As a young dog, Trey had hip dysplasia. This required several operations and physical therapy, but he still continued to struggle and was unable to keep up with the family puppy.

"I just felt there was more for him - he had a place," said Walfish, explaining that Trey would go on to gain certification from Therapy Dogs Incorporated as well as becoming a Canine Good Citizen through the American Kennel Club. From there, Trey made some visits to Alzheimer's patients at Union Hospital in Lynn. "There were really some wonderful things that happened," said Walfish, recalling how one patient began speaking for the first time since their arrival, while others would reminisce about their own pets.

Later, Walfish learned about the READ (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) program by Intermountain Therapy Animals in Utah. Walfish noted that this was a particularly intriguing opportunity because Trey is particularly good with children and it also brings together many of her own interests, including reading.

By having Trey around, children who are nervous or anxious about reading in front of a group can often find themselves much more relaxed. As Walfish pointed out, a dog will never laugh, criticize or correct them, and the children know this. Animal-assisted therapy has been found to be useful in a school setting, improving things from test scores to attendance for some children while introducing them to the benefits of reading. "Anything that encourages that is something I feel very strongly about," said Walfish.

In December, Walfish brought Trey to the Lynnfield Library for an hour to do four 15-minute reading sessions with children. Walfish does not do this for a living, but is thinking about bringing Trey back to the library from time to time to help give other young readers a hand. "The whole part of it is the child gets to be with the dog," said Walfish, adding that she keeps herself out of the equation and must also try to keep parents from hovering during this time. Another benefit here is that Walfish can potentially use her own training to see what may be needed to help the child.

Those who do read with Trey get a certificate that says "I read with Trey today."

"They just love to be with the dog," said Walfish, "It's just a lovely program. It really encourages children to come to the library."