25 Sep 2025

Therapy dog helping calms nerves of learner drivers

From Checkpoint, 4:25 pm on 25 September 2025

A Rottweiller dog in Hawkes Bay is helping calm people's nerves as they prepare to sit the theory test for their learner's licence. Three-year-old therapy dog Penny Pickles is part of the team at Learner Licence Theory 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. Nikki Martin is Penny Pickles' right-hand human and spoke to Lisa Owen.