Liath is more than a logo—she’s my quiet companion, my gentle motivator, and my four-legged teaching assistant.
🗣️ Liath (pronounced /ˈliːə/ like Lea or Lee-uh, the /th/ is silent) is the Gaelic or Irish word for grey.
🌍 A friend gave me the idea. The name is easy to say in both English and Spanish, so it works well in our bilingual home.
🩶 She has soft grey fur on her back legs and around her face. Many people think the grey means she is old. But the grey on her face is not from age; despite seeming older, she's only 5 years old.
🫖Sometimes I call her Lady Liath, like Lady Grey tea.
I love tea, and she’s quite the lady—she even crosses her front paws when she lies down.
💤 Liath is usually sleeping in her bed next to my desk, a calming teaching assistant.
Liath is a rescue galgo — a Spanish sight hound. She was abandoned just before her 4th birthday. Sadly, many galgos in Spain are abused.
When we adopted her, there were 147 other dogs at the shelter, mostly hunting breeds. The shelter is called Galgos del Sur, and it’s one of many amazing charities in the region helping dogs like Liath.
Liath’s early life was full of fear and change.
When I brought her home, everything was new. She'd never lived in a house before or had a soft bed to sleep in. She was anxious, overwhelmed, and didn’t know how to trust.
She made mistakes, had bad days, and needed a lot of time — but she has come a long way.
Little by little, she changed. Now she's full of personality and confidently tells me what she wants, even if I don't understand.
🌱 Liath's Learning Journey
She shows me that progress doesn’t mean being perfect. With patience, progress will come.
As a neurodivergent teacher, Liath helps me in many ways.
📅 She needs a routine to feel safe — and this helps me stay in routine too, which makes me feel grounded.
🐕 She keeps me active by barking to remind me it’s time for a walk!
💤She also reminds me to rest. Liath sleeps a lot — 18 to 20 hours a day!
Strokes and cuddles are not just nice — they help the body feel calm.
Petting an animal can lower stress and reduce the hormone cortisol. It helps us feel safe and focused.
When I stroke Liath’s soft fur or cuddle her, we both feel more relaxed.
This calm energy is something she brings to Made 4 You English.
Liath is an important part of the Made 4 You English team.
She is my quiet, very sleepy, teaching assistant. She helps me stay calm, gives me comfort, and is always ready for a little hug when I need it.
Favourite food: Bananas 🍌 and fresh bread from the bakery near our house 🥖 — she loves them!
Sports: She likes to walk and look for rabbits 🐇 or cats 🐱. She also likes to run very fast 🏃♀️ — but only in safe places because she is too quick for me.
Playtime: She loves to play with her friend Polo, another galgo in our town. 🐕
Sleeping spots: She sleeps on the sofa 🛋️ (she will tell you if you sit in her place!), on one of her three beds 🛏️, on a rug, or on the cool floor.
Routine: She has a small walk, breakfast, lots of sleep, dinner, another walk, and a little walk before bed (with a treat 🍪 — she needs it to get up!). Then she takes off her collar and sleeps. 💤
Favourite toys: A fluffy toy 🧸 that she likes to pull, a small football ⚽️ that she throws and kicks around, a mini galgo toy 🐕 that she likes to cuddle and lick, a small squeaky bee 🐝 — she likes to make it squeak!