Crates are Great Training Tools for Your Dog

We know that our dogs have been found to improve the immune system and reduce blood pressure as well as other health benefits. Canines have been trained to assist the blind, help with the rescue of trapped individuals, sniff out drugs; and work with the law enforcement to curb crime. Another idea has been presented and that is to increase your child’s language skills by reading to the family pet.

A dog crate can be a great tool in training your dog to be patient. What better way to teach your dog to sit in one place for a short period of time than in his kennel with a small child sitting near by reading him a story. Learning to read without being embarrassed about how you pronounce a word or if you miss a page makes learning exciting and fun for a child. It promotes self esteem and makes the child feel important and that he is in control. It also gives parents a break, they know where the dog is and they can hear where the child is. Putting this into practice everyday; teaches the dog patience, builds your child’s self-esteem and thus benefits the whole family.

Studies have shown that using dogs as reading partners for children will increase their language studies and improve their report card. I quote, “Dogs not only help children learn to read, they help children learn to love reading” says Michael Amini coauthor with his wife, Linda, of the children’s book, Shellie, the Magical dog (www.shellietremagicaldog.com). “And that’s true for children with and without learning disabilities.”

PAWSitive Readers, a Minnesota pilot program to help children to read found that dogs helped 10 out of 14 grade-school children to increase their reading skills by one grade level. Across the coast at the University of California a study of children who read to their family dog improved their reading skills by an average of 12 percent.

Crate or kennel time can be fun for the dog and a Win-win situation for the entire family. Your dog will learn to have patience and discipline while your child steps into a world where schoolwork becomes fun. Most children like to play teacher and what better way than to have a loving companion who enjoys the sound of a calm voice telling them a story.

Dogs are excellent listeners since they are unconditional in their love and nonjudgmental; but best of all they will not laugh if and when we make a mistake. If you let it become a ritual to have the dog go to his kennel for reading time; there will be no need to shut the door as he will look forward to the one on one time.