Reading Dogs UAE

Calling All Dog-Friendly Venues in Dubai & Abu Dhabi! 🐾

We’re excited to announce that Reading Dogs will be launching its first-ever Summer Camps in Dubai and Abu Dhabi this summer!

To make these camps a success, we’re looking for dog-friendly venues to host our sessions.

Do you have:
✅ A quiet, comfortable space
✅ Room for up to 12 children
✅ A welcoming environment for a friendly dog

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Help us create a unique summer experience where children can build confidence, improve reading skills, and enjoy the company of our wonderful reading dogs.

Get in touch to learn more about hosting a Reading Dogs Summer Camp.

ReadingWithDogs CommunityPartnership UAEKids DogFriendlyVenues Summer2026

For students in Years 10–12, life can be busy, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming. Working alongside our dogs provides a unique opportunity to slow down, connect, and develop valuable life skills.

Benefits for older students include:
- Reduced stress and anxiety during demanding academic years
- Improved emotional regulation and resilience
- Enhanced communication and leadership skills
- Increased empathy, confidence, and self-awareness
- Opportunities to develop responsibility and positive relationships

Happiness Dogs create a non-judgmental environment where students can build confidence, practise social skills, and experience the calming effects of human-animal connection.

As students prepare for life beyond school, these interactions support not only wellbeing but also personal growth and emotional intelligence—skills that last a lifetime.

YouthDevelopment MentalHealthMatters Year10 Year11 Year12 SocialEmotionalLearning SchoolWellbeing

Anyone lucky enough to have met Millie the Reading Dog before her retirement earlier will be delighted to hear that her younger sister, Maple, has joined the team! 🐾

Meet Maple.

Maple is ready to inspire young readers, build confidence, and continue the wonderful legacy her big sister started.

What an incredible Assessment Day! 🐾

We’re so excited to share that we found six wonderful new dogs who showed fantastic potential for our animal-assisted programmes.

Each dog brought their own unique personality, calmness, connection, and enthusiasm and we can’t wait to see them continue their journey with us. A huge thank you to all the handlers and families who joined us and helped make the day such a success.

AnimalAssistedEducation MakingADifference

It’s been a fantastic first week back!
Our dogs visited the students at Yasmina Academy, the British International School, Noya School and Cranleigh School in Abu Dhabi and the Developing Child Centre, Dunecrest American School and Jumeirah Primary School in Dubai 🐾

We Need Book Reading, Dog Loving Children To Help Us Find The Newest Members Of Our Team

We’re holding an assessment day for new reading and happiness dogs on
Sunday 17th May
10.30am - 12pm
The Pet Shop, DIP

We’re looking for a number of children to help us our assessment day.

As part of the assessment day, each dog will participate in a short reading session under the watchful eye of our animal assessor. If they pass the assessment they enter into our training programme to become fully fledged Reading Dogs!

The assessment will take place at The Pet Shop, DIP
There is no cost for participating in the assessment day but we would require you to commit to the full session. During that time, your child will read with up to 6 dogs (one at a time).

If you’re child would like to join us please do let us know [email protected]

Introducing the newest member of our Abu Dhabi team, Zero 🐕
This gorgeous girl recently moved over from the UK where she, along with her owner Olivia, worked as a pet therapy team.
This term you’ll find Zero at Cranleigh School, the British School, Abu Dhabi and Yasmina Academy 🐾

Would your dog make the perfect reading dog?

It takes a very special dog to be a reading dog 🐾 We are now taking applications for our next intake.

To apply for a place at our assessment day on Sunday 17th May please head to our website and fill in the online registration form.

We are taking applications for both our Dubai and Abu Dhabi training programmes. To be eligible for the programme your dog must be aged two or over and you must be available for training and to deliver sessions during school times Monday - Friday 🐾

At Reading Dogs. we celebrate the beauty of neurodiversity and the unique ways every individual experiences the world. Through our animal-assisted education programs, we’ve seen firsthand how the gentle presence of our dogs can create moments of connection, confidence, and calm for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Our furry companions help break down barriers, encourage communication, and provide unconditional support.

This month, we stand for understanding, inclusion, and acceptance. Let’s continue to create spaces where every individual feels seen, valued, and empowered.