It’s a sad reality that many shelters are overcrowded, and they end up euthanizing their dogs if they fail to find homes within the permitted time frame. Many shelter dogs fail to find homes because of their “timid” or “unfriendly” attitudes. These dogs’ pasts have been marred by cruelty, neglect, or deprivation, which makes it much more difficult for them to emerge from their shells.

The Humane Society of Missouri has established a promising program that allows shelter dogs to be socialized in the greatest way possible! The “Shelter Buddies Reading Program” allows kids aged 6 to 15 to train shelters dogs by reading to them!

This program’s first few sessions have been really excellent. The kids read to the dogs in soothing accents and interact with them, which fosters positive behavior reinforcement and makes the timid dogs feel comfortable and welcomed. While the dogs become more extroverted and “adoptable,” the kids learn about the nuances of a shelter dog’s body language. It’s a win-win situation!

Because of the program’s effectiveness, the shelter has made this reading activity a permanent element of their yearly holiday celebrations. “Deck The Howls” is a holiday event where kids may craft adoption greeting cards and other delicacies for their new animal friends. It would be wonderful if every shelter implemented similar programs for their “undesirable” dogs!

Watch the wonderful bonding time between the kids and the lonely shelter dogs in the video below!