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So Why Enroll Your Children in Reading Dogs?

We’ll let the science speak for itself.  Studies have found reading to dogs offer children the following benefits:

 

Reading Benefits

  • Studies show that reading fluency has increased between 12-30% in children after participating in reading dogs programmes

  • Gives children extra practice with reading and oral skills

  • Some children feel reading becomes less difficult and become more confident reading aloud

  • Reading to dogs has motivated children to read more at home, especially to their pets

  • Children want to try and read more difficult books as they go through the programme

  • Children feel more confident when answering reading related questions

 

Emotional Benefits

  • Children enjoy the programme and think it’s fun.  They look forward to coming to the library because they feel the dog is waiting for them.

  • Children feel comfortable reading to dogs because dogs don’t judge them if they mispronounce a word.

  • Petting dogs can help with motor skills and is known to be a calming factor as it can reduce stress, blood pressure and anxiety

  • Children often feel safe when sitting with a dog from the programme

  • Reading to dogs can boost the confidence of struggling readers and gives them an increased sense of pride

  • A child can feel like a leader by reading aloud and pretending (s)he is the teacher

 

Social Benefits

  • Children learn to take turns while waiting to read to the dog

  • Children can learn kindness and empathy by petting and interacting with the dog

  • Communication skills can be improved by practicing reading aloud

  • Participants enjoy communicating with each other and talking about the session, the dog and the book they read

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