Old Or Young New Tricks Are Always Exciting!
You feel excited as you bring a new dog into your home but then you realized that having a bigger furry family means bigger responsibilities as a fur parent as well. It was then when a light bulb lit up in your head. Ah! Time to teach them a skill! You want your dogs to stand out and look brainy so, teaching them to read pops up in your mind. But wait! Can dogs read?
Hold on to your seats as we’ll reveal the answer.
Can Dogs Enjoy A Nice Book?
Believe it or not, dogs can read! Well, they can’t read sentences and paragraphs the way we do but they can recognize words.
This is where the difference between reading comprehension and recognizing words kicks in. In their case, they recognize the shapes and figures of the word they see and that’s how they’ll understand your command.
Aren’t they amazing? Never underestimate a dog’s skills!
Scientists have been curious about whether dogs can read or not and if yes, how they can read. Since we dogs are playing an important role in our society, discovering these skills of theirs could unlock more abilities for them to help us and interact with us.
Simply put, a dog who can read could bring our relationship with them to a whole new level.
Gearing Up
Now that you know that dogs can read by recognizing the shape and form of letters and words, it’s time for you to start teaching him.
Training a dog to read requires a lot of patience, time, and effort. Repetition and reinforcement are the keys. It’s not as basic as teaching children. Although their mental abilities are as good as a two-and-a-half-year-old child, don’t try to make them learn the alphabet. That’s not how it works. They focus on shapes and symbols and relate them to cues, not the meaning of each letter itself.
Follow these helpful steps before training your dog to read.
- Assess Your Dog – first, your fluff ball should know at least one of the seven basic commands, which include down, sit, stay, come, off, don’t touch, and heel. This is important as it’s going to be the backbone of this training. If he can obey at least one of the said commands, you’re good to go!
- Visual Aids – second, write the command thickly and legibly on a big flashcard (a big piece of paper will do if you don’t have flashcards). You want your dog to see the text.
- Positive Reinforcement – third, prepare the treats; you’re dog’s favorite part. Treats will give them a good impression and motivation.
Training Your Dog How To Read
Once you’ve finished preparing the things you need, you can now start training! Training a dog is just like adding body language to a verbal cue.
Show him the flashcard with the command, say the command, and give him a treat each time he does it right. It’s a matter of practice so, be patient. Once he gets the hang of it, show him the sign without saying anything. Wait for the magic to happen and give him the treat he deserves! Good boy!
On The Whole
Most likely, dogs can read with effective training. Whereas your dog isn’t truly reading, he can memorize the shapes of the letters written on the flashcard, which will be linked with the command you’re teaching.
A dog is capable of recognizing what they’re trained to identify. Teaching them to read will make those dogs who love learning happier. They’ll enjoy it as this is something new and different from anything they’ve accomplished before.
