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Reading together is one of the best ways to bond with your child while building essential language skills. Whether you're reading aloud to toddlers or listening to early readers practice, storytime creates calm, focused moments that are perfect for including your dog.
In our house, we've read countless books together, and the ones my kids request again and again are the ones featuring their favorite dog characters - like Maxine, Ivy, Arfy, Dog, Biscuit, or Maverick. And Paw Patrol :)
I wrote Lola and the Bubble Mission to give families a simple, story-based way to teach children about respecting pets' boundaries.
Lola and the Bubble Mission follows Lola, her sister Hela, and their cat Daisy through everyday moments and adventures that teach children how to read dog body language and respect boundaries - all woven naturally into a story kids actually want to hear again and again.
Insights from Emme: I’m always amazed at how well my toddlers can grasp life lessons and learn new information from books. While we may discuss something in a conversation, reading a story about the same topic makes it much more concrete for them. I often reference back to the books when we’re encountering a similar situation in real life and can see how quickly it clicks for them. Our personal favorites are “Blue”, “Don’t Lick the Dog”, and “Hands Are Not For Hitting.”
Once your child starts learning to read, having them read aloud to your dog is a wonderful way to build their confidence. Dogs are the perfect audience - they're patient, non-judgmental, and happy to listen for as long as your child wants to practice.
Research shows that children who read to dogs show increased reading motivation and improved literacy skills. The calm presence of a dog reduces anxiety around making mistakes, which is especially helpful for reluctant or early readers.
How to Do It:
Check out this reel where my kids read to our dogs. (Spoiler: Dogs make the best nonjudgmental listeners.)
Insights from Dominika: I swear that reading to our dogs is the reason why my children fell in love with reading. They would choose the story that the dog liked to hear. My son was always reading to Lola, and my daughter was reading to Hela. Even if Lola was deaf, you could tell she loved being read to. Often, they would choose to read several books in a row.
Safety Note: Always supervise and watch for signs your dog needs a break. If your dog gets up and walks away, let them. Both our dogs had their favorite books, and some they were less into.
This activity is part of our Kids & Dogs Activity Series.
Online resources to help your baby and dog get along—right from the start and as they grow up together.
