File image of a Rottweiler Photo: Leonardo Borges
In Hawke's Bay, a Rottweiler dog is helping calm people's nerves as they prepare to sit the theory test for their learner's license.
Three-year-old therapy dog Penny Pickles is part of the team at Learner Licence Theory in Tararua.
Many of the people they help through the test have additional learning challenges, and Penny is there to offer a helping paw - or four.
Owner Nikki Martin told Checkpoint that Penny was her in-training 2IC, and her speciality was in offering emotional support.
"[For] a student suffering from anxiety, nervousness, stress, caused from traumatic past experiences and failures, there is nothing better than having a furry friend by your side," Martin said.
"What Penny does, she's very astute, she's very clever, she has a very calming demeanour. She sits beside the student, and then she gradually will put her paw on their lap... and they start to calm down.
"Their anxiety levels decrease, their stress levels decrease, the student starts to smile and focus and all these beautiful, wonderful things start happening."
Martin said Penny had been a big help.
"Honestly, I can say it cuts my teaching down in half because it just helps things flow. The student is much more approachable, they're more focused, and honestly, a two-day teaching session will last, say, four hours."
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