Ah, summer in Boothbay Harbor. Beautiful sunny skies, gentle breeze coming off the water, sitting on a blanket on the grass while someone softly reads to you, it's a dog's life.

At least it is for Murphy, the 11 year-old therapy dog. Young readers joined Murphy on the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library lawn Aug. 13 as they read aloud to him from their favorite books.

And Murphy, it turns out, is a great listener. It was his second visit to the library this summer, following one on July 9.

"He'll settle down next to a child and they read the book," explained Clarice Yentsch who, with her partner Wally Smith own Murphy and are summer residents of Boothbay. The couple reached out to the library about a reading event last summer and Children's Coordinator Jen Betts agreed. It was a good decision and this year Murphy returned.

Betts provided a selection of children's favorite animal books and spread a blanket on the library's lawn. Murphy added his charm and, as Yentsch said of the July 9 event, "The kids came and gravitated around him." After reading to him, the children can give him a treat and sign his guestbook.

The library also includes a visit to the events in the child's "Summer Reading Passport" along with suggested books and other activities.

Yentsch explained that she inherited Murphy years ago from a neighbor and both Yentsch and Murphy trained for six weeks, twice each week, for Murphy to become a therapy dog, learning to work together. At the end of the training, Yentsch and Murphy had to pass a test before the eight-pound toy poodle graduated as a therapy dog.

Yentsch said there are three types of assistance a dog can be trained to provide. Emotional support animals support one person or family; service dogs are trained to assist a person with a disability; and therapy dogs provide comfort to others, including strangers. Therapy dogs are brought to nursing homes and hospitals to interact with residents and patients.   

Smith and Yentsch began taking Murphy to their local library in Palmetto, Florida as part of the "Reading to Rover" program. "The program is wonderful," Smith said. "We document the reading hours and send them to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs."

Not every dog can become a therapy dog and the animal's personality is key, Yentsch pointed out. "Some are way too active while others are calm and want to do this. Murphy will settle down next to the child as they read the book." As the BHML program description said, "This is a great chance for new readers to practice reading with an active and caring listener."