Reading out loud to battered dogs helps on their integration

At least that’s how they think in the Missouri Humane Society,  an association that has been protecting animals in the United States since 1870. So, they must know about it. In HANNIKO, one of their pioneering initiatives has caught our attention, and little by little it has spread to other shelters: the reading of stories by children to abandoned dogs.

Photo via STL Today

It is a vicious circle. Abandoned dogs are often, in many cases, mistreated. This means that most of them suffer from psychological problems that affect their behavior: some become sad and withdrawn, many become nervous, others aggressive … and in general they end up distrusting the human race, which has treated them so badly .

The tone of children, key to confidence

The experience of the Missouri Humane Society demonstrates that listening to children’s reading aloud can help restore trust in the human race to these dogs, and, by extension, modify their behavior, which, in turn, places them in a better situation to be adopted again.

Photo via Humane Society of Missouri

As we told you in another article, the childish tone is no nonsense when communicating with your dog, and thanks to the sweetness, innocence and absence of evil that dogs perceive in the children’s voice while they read their favorite stories, their vision – and their behavior – with respect to humans changes for the better.

It’s a give and take

This wonderful initiative has a way back and forth. Interrelating dogs and children helps humans develop respect and empathy for animals from an early age. And not only that: reading aloud improves the reading ability, comprehension, diction and, therefore, the training and academic performance of children. Everyone wins here!

At HANNIKO we know from experience how well dogs and children get along. This is, then, one more reason to continue combining these two wonderful species.

Did you like the article? Then suscribe and do not miss any detail of the HANNIKO life.