Reading with Riley the Dog

Reading to a therapy dog is a wonderful activity—especially for building confidence and reducing reading anxiety in kids (and even teens or adults).

Pet Partners

Why Reading to a Dog Helps

Dogs:

• Don’t interrupt
• Don’t correct mistakes
• Don’t judge pronunciation
• Provide calm, comforting presence

This helps children:

• Feel less self-conscious
• Build fluency through practice
• Increase confidence
• Associate reading with positive feelings

Some children who resist reading to adults are surprisingly eager to read to a dog.

Is It Only for Struggling Readers?

Not at all. It’s great for:

• Early readers
• English language learners
• Children with anxiety
• Kids who simply love dogs