The images of Bert and Betsie below are here to help you get a sense of their characters and personalities, so you can bring them to life during storytime. Their puppets are designed to build confidence and imagination, helping to gently ease any anxieties around reading aloud.

Meet the real

Bert and Betsie

Betsie is on the left and Bert on the right

Meet the real Bert and Betsie—the lovable dogs who inspired the stories, puppets, and adventures behind Woof Books.

Meet Bert

Bert is a small, black bundle of joy with a heart full of energy. As a puppy, his thick, curly black fur made him look just like a teddy bear. As he has grown older, his coat has become silky and smooth, and he no longer has his baby curls. His big, beautiful brown eyes are full of expression and always seem to follow everything going on around him.

Bert’s favourite toy in the whole world is a ball—any ball he can find will do! If he can’t find one, he’s more than happy to chase a stick instead. He also loves exploring trees and hedges, always on the lookout for squirrels to chase. Thankfully, the squirrels can climb trees and Bert can’t.

Go Bert, Go!

Although Bert is brave most of the time, he can occasionally be a little cautious around larger dogs, especially when he’s carrying his favourite ball. He loves his toys so much that he worries another dog might try to take them away.

Tug-of-war with Betsie is one of Bert’s favourite games to play. They both pull as hard as they can on their shared rope toy, but Bert usually wins and trots off proudly with the rope dangling from his mouth.

He adores running and can jump incredibly high with excitement whenever he sees his collar and lead. The moment he realises he’s going for a walk, his tail starts wagging and he races around happily, eager to begin his next adventure.

Bert is extremely loving and adores a cuddle whenever possible, happily curling up into a small ball where he feels safe and secure. After a busy day of playing, exploring, and chasing balls, he loves nothing more than settling down close to Betsie and the people he loves most.

His playful personality, adventurous nature, and lovable character help bring warmth and fun to every Woof Books story, making each adventure engaging, interactive, and memorable.

Meet Betsie

Betsie is the most lovable dog you could wish to meet. As a puppy, her fur was a rich dark brown, but as she’s grown older, her soft, curly coat has lightened into a beautiful mix of light brown and white. Her gentle nature, playful personality, and affectionate character make her impossible not to love.

She absolutely oozes energy and, like Bert, becomes incredibly excited whenever she sees her collar and lead. Walks and adventures are some of her favourite things. However, Betsie has a mischievous side too — she will often turn getting ready into a playful game of hide and seek, as she doesn’t always enjoy putting on her collar and lead, even though she needs them to keep her safe.

Betsie also loves joining in with gardening and outdoor adventures. Whenever she gets the chance, she enjoys digging, exploring, and getting as mucky as possible, fully embracing every moment outside.

On walks, she seems to have a special talent for finding the muddiest puddle she can. Without hesitation, she’ll splash straight through it, making every walk a fun and slightly messy adventure.

Wowee!

She is incredibly affectionate and loving, often giving a quick lick on the leg as she passes by to remind everyone she’s nearby. Betsie loves being close to the people she cares about and brings warmth and happiness wherever she goes.

Betsie does have a sensitive tummy, so she follows a special diet to help keep her happy and feeling her best. Despite this, it never stops her adventurous spirit or playful personality shining through.

Her favourite games include tug-of-war — especially when playing with Bert — along with cheekily stealing his toys, which she finds very amusing. She also enjoys destroying her own ropes and taking the stuffing out of her toys. While Betsie loves to play rough with her own toys and Bert’s, she is always careful and respectful with anything that doesn’t belong to her.

She also enjoys exploring outdoors, sniffing through hedges, and searching for squirrels during her adventures.

Betsie's playful, affectionate, and miscievious personality brings warmth, fun, and laughter to every Adventure of Bert and Betsie story.