Chapters
You know those silly Facebook surveys like "Which celebrity are you?" or "What's your spirit animal?". For the "What animal would I be?" one, I went into it thinking 'therapy pet!'. Specifically, a golden retriever - one of the best dogs for therapy.
I was wrong. The survey revealed I'm more like a groundhog.
Don't misunderstand me; groundhogs have good qualities and admirably fulfil vital environmental functions. It's just that nobody will ever recommend reading to a groundhog. They would, however, recommend reading to a golden retriever or any other dogs as therapy.
The benefits of pet therapy are widely known:
- reduced stress and anxiety
- reduced risk of depression
- better self-esteem
- more self-confidence
- increased physical activity
- better overall health, including mental health
Getting better at reading is one benefit of pet therapy that's seldom discussed. We say that with a caveat: though no formal studies have been conducted, literature analysis on the topic supports that assertion.
Reading out loud to your dog does wonders for your reading ability. Even reading to your therapy cat - we in the UK do love our feline friends, releases feel-good endorphins, particularly if the cat doesn't sneer at you or walk away, mid-read. Or lie down on your book to keep you from reading. Or otherwise keep you from focusing on your work at home.
That's because, cat or dog, your pet won't judge you for reading too slowly, pronouncing words wrong or speaking with an impediment. Well, maybe the cat will but not in a hurtful way.
Pets as therapy is not a new concept; it was pioneered around the end of the 18th Century. Which makes it all the more remarkable that, still today, our furry friends find novel ways to help us.
Let's discover all the ways animal assisted therapy can help you and your reluctant readers discover the joy of reading out loud.
Animal Assisted Intervention: an Overview
Among medical animal initiatives you might be familiar with, we find names like Guide Dogs for the Blind and Deaf, along with initiatives that promote swimming with dolphins and riding horseback for the disabled.
In fact, one of my mates spent their gap year volunteering with such an organization.
All of these and others have made it possible for people to participate in activities they might not have been able to without an animal assist. Now, driven by amazing results of animal therapy, therapy animals are increasingly being used to boost the return to health in hospitals and comfort those in hospice.
The success doesn't end there. The effects of animal therapy on mental health in prisons and juvenile care facilities have astounded both researchers and recipients of said therapy, as well as the loved ones of those treated to an animal's unique brand of kindness and calm. Animal therapy in care homes has proven to be especially beneficial to seniors who fear the loss of their independence, mobility and the onset of profound loneliness.
Indeed, you can find supportive animals just about anywhere these days: at the office, in primary schools and even at select airports. People who get nervous ahead of their flight or angry over a flight delay can spend a few minutes stroking the on-duty therapy animals to bring down their blood pressure and restore their calm.
Those are all public instances of animal assisted intervention; let's talk a bit about pets as therapy.
We've all heard the rather cruel stereotype about some crazy cat lady who keeps a house full of felines, haven't we? Horrid as it is, there is some truth to that myth. For many people - not just women and not all old, animal proxies for family are often one of the few, if not the only emotional tie they have. There's nothing wrong with that.
Although perhaps not trained to be therapy animals, these beloved pets enrich their humans' lives with their presence and help to keep their humans busy and active, and caring for their physical needs.
Today, there are schemes which aim to provide animal assisted therapy for people with anxiety and other mental health issues including loneliness, and to encourage people to become more active.
What Is a Therapy Dog and How Can One Help You Read Better?
Well known are the therapeutic benefits of owning and interacting with animals; seeing to your pet's well-being adds an extra layer of advantage.
There's something about animal care that drives humans' nurturing and protective instincts. It fosters a sense of responsibility, empathy and respect. Because our relationship with any animal is unequal by default, bonding with an animal compels us to treat it with kindness, fairness and charity.
That's one reason why so many parents welcome pets into the family when children are still very young. Having animals in the house fosters those soft skills from the earliest age.
It has recently become apparent that the many uses of animals (and insects!) build all sorts of connections that can have therapeutic benefits. But a newer form of pet therapy that you might not have heard of is the use of our canine friends as reading assistant dogs to increase skill and confidence with reading.
They have proven to be so successful that some schools are inviting dogs into the classroom.
The Kennel Club has started an initiative called the Bark And Read Foundation to promote charities that bring dogs into schools to help with reading. Another initiative, Pets As Therapy now has over 200 schools on their waiting list for their reading therapy animals to make visits to the classroom.
Reading to a dog gives the children the confidence to read out loud, thus developing their skills with literacy and language. Whereas they might feel awkward, shy or embarrassed stumbling over words or struggling to read out loud to another adult and especially in front of their peers, they gain confidence when reading to a dog that will not criticise or judge their ability.
The presence of supportive animals has a calming effect which enables students to concentrate and learn more happily and with confidence.
Having a pet around when reading is obviously not just exclusive to schools. Any family with a pet in their household can realise the same benefits. Let's make clear that it doesn’t have to be a dog providing the calming or confidence-boosting element to reading, learning, or any homework, other pets can have the same beneficial effect.
So if your child is reluctant to read, maybe your pet can help.
Whereas you might have thought the children were using the presence of a pet as a happy distraction from engaging with their work or their reading, it seems that comfort pets might prove advantageous to learning. Talking to your kids about why they constantly go for an animal assist would be revealing.
Aren't you curious to find out if they think reading to the dog helps them? When I was taking online classes during quarantine, reading to my dog helped me a lot!
Reading with an Animal Assist
Whether it's you, your child, your elderly parent... Even if you're a teacher at school, you need to know how best to read to your therapy pet.
It would also help to have some great books to read, wouldn't it?
Absent training as a therapy pet, it would be best if the animal were not excitable. An older dog or cat, one that has been in the family for a while and already delivers pet therapy would be ideal as they're more likely to stay in place and make eye contact with the reader.
At the outset, dedicate a particular area in your home for reading. This will help the animal understand that, when there, their human will talk and they are to remain calm and still, and not go to sleep.
Even better would be if the animal responds when being addressed, either by 'smiling', raising its head, wagging its tail or barking/mewing. When the reader asks "Do you like this story?" or "Did you understand that?", such reactions can provide the feedback needed to keep the reader engaged.
If at home, the reader may enjoy touching or petting the animal while they read. Such contact helps to lower stress levels and keep focus. In school or other groups where reading to a dog is standard practice, merely having the dog nearby would be beneficial.
You have to take consideration on the animal's welfare at all times. Too many eager hands touching all at once could stress the animal, making them less keen to participate in such activities.
You could look into therapy cat training or, if you prefer canines, investigate training for therapy dogs. If you wish for your dog/cat to undergo training, be sure to check whether they are of a suitable breed - mild temperament and calm presence, and that they're not too old to undergo such training. You should specify that you're looking for animal assisted therapy to build reading skills.
Final tip: set a time for reading. Just like going for walkies and being fed on a schedule, blocking out time for reading at a set hour and for a set time will teach your pet to anticipate reading time. They may even surprise you by going to the 'reading area' around reading time.
Join the conversation: does the cost of a therapy animal fit within the student budget?
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
