We all know that dogs can be great companions or cuddle buddies. But it turns out that we have another reason to celebrate man’s best friend–they’re good for kids’ report cards, too! Now before you scoff, consider the following:
A Minnesota pilot project called PAWSitive Readers finds that trained therapy dogs helped 10 of 14 grade-school participants improve their reading skills by one grade level. Additionally, a University of California study showed that children who read to the family dog improved their ability by an average of 12 percent.
Michael Amiri, coauthor of the children’s book Shellie, the Magical dog, discusses five reasons why dogs help kids learn to love reading:
• No embarrassment: “Most of us have memories of reading out loud in class,” he says. “Though we may have been proficient readers, the fear of stumbling on a word in front of everyone was a constant source of anxiety.” Dogs are excellent for unconditional, nonjudgmental love; they won’t laugh if and when mistakes happen.