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Dog training may not be part of your formal education, but it can be for your children. This is because growing research shows that it can be an effective tool in improving reading skills Reasons Reading to Dogs Benefits Kids.

Some schools, libraries, and other educational institutions allow children to study with dogs. The aim is to develop and enhance children’s relationship with learning.

Although dogs used in official programs are trained, you can also have your children learn at your pet school. Although they are primarily known as a dog lover, depending on their behavior, they can be a good audience to learn from.

Reasons Reading to Dogs Benefits Kids

The Positive Effects of Dogs on Kids

In addition to being a reassuring presence for other new students, there are many benefits for children growing up with dogs.

They might also help children develop empathy and self-esteem, possibly due to the heightened amounts of serotonin and dopamine in people’s bodies, which are chemicals associated with good thoughts. Dogs give support for kids, which may be why some children like reading to them.

Why Kids Should Read to Dogs

Reading and writing are very fundamental bases in a child’s education. Reading skills do not only help in language but also in other fields like mathematics. This also affects their level of achievement at school.

The most common reading by children to dogs occurs as part of a dog’s reading-aloud program. The caregiver will bring in a trained therapy dog to a school or library, and children will practice reading to them. Research is limited, but such programs have been shown to show positive effects on children learning to read.

Reading to Dogs – 4 Potential Benefits

Whether you want to know about a helpful dog’s read-aloud program or want to include your family pet in your child’s reading program, here are four powerful benefits of children reading to dogs.

1. Improves Reading Abilities

Reading to a dog can improve reading skills, especially reading comprehension (the ability to read accurately and easily and understand content quickly), according to a University of California (UC) study. This practice seems to be especially successful for homeschoolers.

This can be a nice addition to the curriculum should you home school your children or attend distance learning.

2. Makes Kids More Comfortable

For some children, dog training can turn out to be stress-free. This is because dogs provide a non-judgmental presence. There have been reports from students that they felt more comfortable reading after they had experienced reading to a dog.

3. Improved Sentiments Towards Reading

For some children, dog training can be completely stress-free because dogs provide a comforting, non-judgmental presence. Students reported they felt more comfortable reading after they had experienced reading to a dog.

Also Read : Attention Seeking Dog Behavior

4. Helps Build Self-Confidence

Reading to a dog can improve a child’s confidence, especially at school. UC research shows children feel more comfortable participating in the classroom after their time in a dog-friendly read-aloud program.

How To Get Kids Reading to Dogs

Really there is no need to have a special lesson plan in order to begin seeing the benefit of reading to dogs at home with your children.

The children in the schools were not in any way forced, or had to adhere to, any reading norms; they simply had to read the words on the paper out loud in front of a canine during the controlled studies.

Obviously, the fact that your pet is well-socialized and calm around your child will act to decrease your level of distraction.

Do Dogs Like to Be Read To?

Researchers have not really studied whether dogs like being read to, so there is no scientific evidence of their enjoyment of this activity, says Annie Valuska, PhD, Purina Pet Behavior Scientist.

It encourages children to read, develops empathy for pets, and socializes with our animal pals. There is no reason not to attempt it with your own pet.

For more information on dog socialization, behavior, and other topics, visit our Pet Expertise website for professional guidance.

* Fung, S. (2019). The Impact of a Canine-Assisted Read Aloud Intervention on Reading Ability and Physiological Response: A Pilot Study. Animals, 9(8): 474.