When Charlie gets dressed up for work, he knows he is going to be top dog in a Pembrokeshire school.

His owner, Sarah Ellis, ties his red bandana round his furry neck and six-year-old Charlie is transformed - from Sarah’s lovable rescued pet to one of Britain’s pioneering Reading Education Assistance Dogs (Read).

His job is to sit quietly on his special cushion, occasionally giving a tail-flick of approval or a surreptitious lick of affection, as children boost their confidence in literary skills by reading him stories.

“When children are reading to Charlie, they know he won’t judge, laugh or criticise, and their confidence grows enormously,” said Sarah, who last year was only the third person in the UK to qualify in the Read programme, which originated in America, where it has hundreds of volunteers.

For several months now, Sarah has been a weekly visitor to Templeton School near her home, where pupils spend one-to-one time with her and Sheltie-cross Charlie.

Sarah was already the Pembrokeshire co-ordinator for the charity Pets as Therapy (Pat), whose dogs bring a smile to the faces of the elderly in residential homes, when she realised the therapeutic powers of her pooches could be extended to youngsters who may be reluctant or hesitant readers. So she trained with Read, qualifying with both Charlie and her Tibetan terrier, Saffron.

A visit to the Pembrokeshire Dyslexia Association fun day with Saffron brought her absolute proof of the scheme’s worth.

“A teenage girl sat down and read an entire book out loud to her,” recalled Sarah.

“Then she went home and read a book to the family dog. Her parents were absolutely astonished, as she had never read more than a couple of lines in her life. It just blew me away.”

Sarah and Charlie get a warm welcome each week in Templeton, where one six-year-old pupil, Sol Doble, confided: “I love reading to Charlie. He’s so cute.”

Sarah’s venture, named Shaggy Dog Tales, has attracted interest from several other dog owners, one of whom is soon to qualify with their pet under the Read scheme.

“I would love to see a reading assistance dog visiting every school in Pembrokeshire,” she said.

“It’s magical how the presence of a dog helps to create a calm atmosphere and gives that extra stimulus to children to relax and enjoy their reading.”

For more details about the scheme, contact Sarah on 07952 471570 or shaggydog tales@virgin.net.