COVINGTON, Ga. — His day job is reading with students in Newton County, but Booker T Pug is about to head out on the adventure of a lifetime -- the Westminster Dog Show!
K9Kait is a digital project lead by Kaitlyn Ross that looks at inspiring stories like this one, where a therapy dog is about to compete in the Westminster Dog Show.
Kaitlyn met Booker before he took off on his big adventure to New York.
"He snorted like a pig, haha," said fourth grader Autumn McCorkle.
Booker T Pug makes the kids at South Salem Elementary laugh.
"He's like the funniest cutest dog ever," she said.
"I love Booker because he's a smart dog," said third grader Jermaine Jordan.
He also helps them read.
"The best thing is that he offers a nonjudgmental being that kids can read to. If they get a word wrong, they're not going to tell him, if they have a speech impediment, they're not going to make fun of him. He's just simply there to listen," said Booker T Pug's mom, Meghen Bassel.
Bassel is the media specialist at the school and says he's quickly become a star.
"I got him to be strictly a reading therapy dog, but his job has become much more than that," Bassel said. "He does do reading therapy, but he also works with students who are having a bad day or who need a reward."
But now, he's hoping to win a reward of his own, competing at the Westminster Dog Show!
"His breeder had started showing him, so when she donated him, I said, I'll try and go for his championship title," she said.
He got a spot in the pug competition of the Westminster Dog Show that will air Monday, February 11th.
But Bassel says it's about more than the competition. It's about the kids.
"They're really excited. I think in their eyes, he's the school dog. So the fact that he can go on and do other things is really exciting for them. And I hope it inspires them to know that they can do big things too," she said.
"Go Booker! GO! GOOO BOOKER! AWESOME! You did a great job," said Autumn.
If you want to follow Booker's progress, we are going to be watching him as he competes in the Westminster Dog show and following along as he goes all the way to the Championship.