Curl up with a book — and a dog

Toshi plops onto the floor at the Red Butte Cafe, more interested in flipping through her favorite book than sampling the aromatic soup of the day.

Using her large nose to turn the pages of "Hochiko — the Story of a Loyal Dog," she closely inspects the pictures as Kathy McNulty murmurs her approval.

"Good girl, Toshi — let's see what happens next," McNulty tells the velvety black Akita. The dog keeps turning pages until the book is finished, then eagerly begins another: "I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words."

"She absolutely loves books and has quite a collection at home," says McNulty, "but her favorite thing is to share a story with children. She's cuddly and engaging and will look you right in the eye. That's what makes Toshi an excellent READ dog."

If you've ever visited the Salt Lake Main Library on "Dog Day Afternoons," then you're probably familiar with the READ program — Reading Education Assistance Dogs — celebrating its 10th anniversary this month.

McNulty, 64, a retired trainer of department store Santa Clauses who lives in Park City, has been involved with the program from the beginning as part of her volunteer work with Intermountain Therapy Animals.

She and READ program founder Sandi Martin were the first handlers to train their dogs to enjoy books; now there are more than 2,400 teams worldwide, helping children learn to love the written word in a way that no other program can.

In honor of READ's birthday, McNulty recently met me for a Free Lunch of French onion soup and salad with Toshi in tow. One hundred pounds of energy with a perpetual smile and happy brown eyes, Toshi is McNulty's second READ dog. The other, Kiyoshi, died of natural causes.

"It was hard for the kids to lose Kiyoshi — we all cried a lot," says McNulty. "But now Toshi is carrying on his legacy, and that's exciting. She loves books about bears and wolves, and if you bring her one about squirrels, she'll really go crazy over it."

Several times a week, McNulty drives down from Park City with Toshi's favorite books and blanket to share a few hours with kids who could use a little help learning to read or need a boost in their self-esteem.

Besides "Dog Day Afternoons" at the library, she and Toshi visit elementary schools, clinics and rehab programs, sprawling on the floor or gently sliding onto hospital beds to watch the magic unfold.

"It's wonderful to witness the child's belief in the animal," says McNulty, who is always nearby to deliver commands to Toshi and encourage young readers. "The child taps into the idea that the dog is really interested in the way they read, whether they read slowly, whether they stutter, or they miss words. It doesn't matter because a dog is nonjudgmental. They look into your heart."

She recalls the story of a troubled boy in a psychiatric unit who wouldn't cooperate with anyone until she showed up with her dog one night to read a story and tuck him into bed.

"An animal can reach a child in a way no adult can," says McNulty, who used to bring home dogs, cats, even ducks, as a child. "When we first started doing 'Dog Day Afternoons,' some people thought, 'Wow, that's really out there.' But it works."

Especially when a dog like Toshi can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter.

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