Jj is for Jottings  58.  More Reading to Dogs.

The other reason for children reading to dogs (see previous article https://educatingalpacas.com/reading-to-dogs/)  was intended to benefit the dogs, but turns out to be a two-way street, as you will see.  The Humane Society of Missouri trains children aged 5-15 years to sit in front of shelter runs and read to dogs.  Not surprisingly, many shelter animals are shy, fearful and stressed, and of course those who hang back are less likely to be adopted than the dogs which are more outgoing.  It works this way:

Interested children are taken to the shelter and walked through the area where the dogs are housed.  They are then taken to a classroom area and asked to close their eyes and imagine what it’s like to be a shelter dog – what do they hear, see, smell?  Next, the children experience a PowerPoint presentation which helps them recognise canine body language and stress signals.  They are also taught how to approach a dog properly, so that the dog doesn’t interpret their behaviour as aggressive, threatening or domineering.  The children are instructed to sit sideways rather than directly in front of the cage when reading, to avoid direct eye contact or standing over the dog, as these behaviours could be threatening.  They are asked to read smoothly and calmly and to look at the book rather than at a frightened or shy animal. If the dog begins to respond, the child can drop bits of kibble through a special tube as encouragement and reward.

Staff members have taken many photographs of dogs cowering the back of their kennel – scared, withdrawn, hunched, with tail tucked in. As the child reads to them a gradual transformation takes place.  Some will turn and face forward, some will stretch out and relax, and many move towards the child – all in the dog’s own time.  And of course the children feel so rewarded by the dogs’ responses that they want to keep volunteering, which means more reading practice, and so on.  A perfect win/win situation.

This way of reading to dogs does not have the same remedial benefits as described in the previous article because there is not the presence of an adult to assist with the reading process, but research has indicated that, over a 10 week period, there is a measurable boost to children’s reading skills and confidence.  On a broader level, this also helps to break the cycle of violence towards animals, which is statistically linked to violence towards people (which seems obvious, and another reason why cruelty to animals should carry heavier penalties).  The Baltimore Humane Society has begun a program with a dual focus on literacy and breaking the cycle of animal violence.  Let’s hope Australia might pick up the ball and run with it, too.

 

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