Read to a Dog

In the Weird has started to sound like a dour, angry old hippie, standing out on the porch of our dilapidated farmhouse, shaking our collective fists at the world's conservatives, capitalists, and anyone who happens to set foot on our damn lawn.

That's not weird. That's just sad.

So let's take a break from all this seriousness to tackle a topic that at the heart of our sister blog, Dragon's Library: youth literacy. Do you have a moment to discuss your dog's ability to appreciate literature?

In the days of two working parents and too much video technology, beginning readers often don't have the motivation to practice reading, which is where therapy dogs come in.

Yes. Dogs.

Did you know that a dogs is a "non-judgmental listener...who will accept the story exactly as" it's read? For struggling readers, reading to a dog involves less stress than reading to someone who may correct or question their interpretation. This information comes directly from our local library system website, which hosts regular "Read to a Dog" events. In fact, most dog-owners will probably find their dog eager enough to listen to five hundred renditions of The Cat in the Hat, but if your dog doesn't want to hear your child's voice, or if you don't have a dog, consider acquiring the services of a professional, trained listening dog.

If you would like to know more about reading to dogs, you can check out this Read to a Dog website, or just Google "Read to a Dog."