Reading to Dogs with Mitzvah the Mutt

Trying to get your tween to read more? Looking to help a struggling reader gain skills and confidence in reading? Have a book worm who can’t put a book down? Dogs can help! Kids across the country are practicing their reading skills, gaining confidence, and learning to love reading by reading to dogs. Libraries and schools are using reading dog programs as a way to encourage reading and develop reading skills in a safe, non-threatening environment. Dogs provide a comfortable setting because they are great listeners, don’t react if a child makes a mistake, and are a calming influence on the kids. Animal shelters are connecting with this trend and inviting kids to read to their dogs. Reading can calm these animals and increase their interest and social interaction with kids.
 
Want to use dogs to help your child develop reading skills or a love of reading? Here are four easy things you can do…

• Do you have a dog at home? Have your child practice reading to your pet.
• Call your local library to see if they have a dog reading program.
• Call your local animal shelter to see if your child could read to their dogs.
• Break the ice by encouraging your child to read a book about dogs. Check out the hysterically funny Mitzvah the Mutt by Sylvia A. Rouss told entirely from the perspective of a dog, available as a PJ Our Way selection in May 2017.