Three Things to Know
Dog-assisted reading programs, popularized by the 1999 R.E.A.D. program, lack extensive research. A study examining Australia’s Story Dogs™ program gathered qualitative feedback from students, teachers, parents, and handlers.
Positive feedback emphasized the program’s non-judgmental environment, which fostered student confidence and emotional openness.
Negative feedback focused on dog behavior and reading material difficulty, highlighting the need for improved teacher-handler communication regarding appropriate materials and expectations.
For Dog Welfare Practitioners
Studies consistently highlight the positive impact of dogs on child development, while humane education effectively fosters empathy and kindness in young learners.
Dog-assisted reading programs effectively improve children’s reading skills and well-being. These programs, involving volunteer handlers in schools or children reading in a shelter to shelter dogs, benefit both children and animals by fostering confidence and positive human interactions. Dog shelters worldwide should implement these initiatives. Shelters with existing dog-assisted reading programs should assess if they effectively create a non-judgmental space for children’s self-expression.
Shelters must further engage participating youth through comprehensive education programs, covering dog body language, responsible pet ownership, and volunteer opportunities like kong-making. Furthermore, animal welfare career camps can provide deeper learning experiences.
The Full Picture
Australian national policies increasingly emphasize student wellbeing, recognizing that student wellbeing directly influences academic success. Schools play a central role, with research showing that explicitly teaching positive psychology skills enhances student wellbeing and reduces depressive symptoms.
Reading difficulties, in particular, are associated with low motivation, anxiety, and behavioral issues. Dog-assisted reading programs have gained popularity since the Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.) program launched in 1999. These programs provide structured reading sessions where children read to therapy dogs in a non-judgmental environment.
Research on dog-assisted reading programs remains limited. This study, titled “An evaluation of a dog-assisted reading program to support student wellbeing in primary school”, analyzed the Story Dogs™ program. It examined how the program influenced student wellbeing based on feedback from students, parents, teachers, and handlers.
Study Methods
The Story Dogs™ program involves one-on-one reading sessions with a therapy dog and handler. This study explored the perspectives of children, parents, teachers, and volunteer handlers involved in the program. Participants included 11 students, 8 teachers, 8 parents, and 6 volunteer handlers.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participant groups. Teachers and parents were interviewerd via phone (10–15 minutes), students in person (10–20 minutes), and handlers via phone (20–35 minutes) . Interviews were conducted in July to August 2019.
Study Results
The Story Dogs™ program was positively received by teachers, parents, students, and handlers, who highlighted its impact on confidence, engagement, emotional development, and reading ability.
- Teachers noted that students felt special being chosen for the program. They observed improvements in confidence, autonomy, reading skills, and emotional regulation. Students became more engaged with reading, developed better social skills, and showed calmer behavior after sessions.
- Parents reported that their children built strong emotional connections with the reading dogs, which provided a judgment-free environment. They noticed increased reading enjoyment, concentration, and confidence, along with excitement for the program.
- Students expressed happiness and excitement about participating, with many saying it improved their reading skills, confidence, and interest in school.
- Handlers emphasized that the dogs created a safe, non-judgmental space that encouraged emotional expression and engagement. They observed a ripple effect, where the presence of dogs benefited both participating and non-participating students, as well as the broader school community. Challenges included occasional teacher disengagement and scheduling disruptions.
Despite the overall positive outcomes, some students reported minor challenges, such as distractions from the dog’s behavior or difficulty with book selection. These issues highlight the need for clearer communication between teachers and handlers to ensure appropriate reading materials and structured expectations.
Conclusion
Overall, Story Dogs™ fostered positive social, emotional, and educational outcomes for children, with benefits extending beyond the target students to the wider school environment. Despite the small sample size, this study contributes to understanding the role of dog-assisted reading programs in supporting student wellbeing and lays the foundation for further studies in this area.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
–
Year of Publication:
2020
External Link:
Linda Henderson, Christine Grové, Felicia Lee, Louisa Trainer, Hannah Schena, Marcelle Prentice, An evaluation of a dog-assisted reading program to support student wellbeing in primary school, Children and Youth Services Review, Volume 118, 2020, 105449, ISSN 0190-7409, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105449