Homeschooling With Your Dog

Training an animal takes a lot of dedication and knowledge, making it a great activity for homeschoolers to practice. Oleksiy Rezin/Shutterstock

Our dog, Pip, is an honorary “student” in our homeschool who gave our kids comfort and support simply by being present. Ask any homeschool dog owner, and they’ll tell you: Homeschoolers and dogs go together like macaroni and cheese—a sweet, ooey-gooey relationship like no other because kids always have a pal to hug, talk to, and cuddle with. It sounds like a perfect fit to me.

As homeschoolers, you just might have the ideal home environment for raising a dog—the flexibility to spend time working and playing with your canine companion and the ability to incorporate the responsibilities of dog ownership as well as general dog know-how into your curriculum.

If you have a special canine friend, consider enhancing your homeschooling program with some of these dog-themed activities.

Read About Dogs

Dogs are fascinating animals, especially since there are hundreds of different breeds. Start with “The Dog Breed Guide: A Complete Reference to Your Best Friend Fur-ever” by Dr. Gary Weitzman or “The Dog Encyclopedia for Kids” by Tammy Gagne, and your kids will discover which breeds have no tail, the name of the dog with dreadlocks, which dog has a lamb-shaped head, and so much more.

Another great resource, “All About Dogs Fun-Schooling Journal” by Sarah Janisse Brown and Alexandra Bretush, explores all core elementary school subjects and will have your kids digging into the wonderful world of dogs using library books, online tools, and hands-on nature study.

Famous dogs are everywhere. Have your kids heard of Rin Tin Tin, international movie star? How about Sinbad the Sailor Dog, a highly decorated veteran of World War II? Encourage them to find out what qualities a dog needs to qualify to become a guide dog and take a virtual tour of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary’s Dogtown. Send your kids on a pawsitively amazing fact-finding mission to read about these one-of-a-kind dogs and more.

Walk and Play Together

This is an easy one. Take a walk along a nature trail. Toss a frisbee in the backyard. Play fetch and burn off some energy at the dog park. Do you get snow in winter? Our dog loved to run alongside our kids when they sledded down the hill in our backyard.

For a fun and furry twist to family game night, try “The Dog’s Best Friend Game” and play to earn as many victory points as possible. Quality playtime together will help keep everyone healthy and fit and strengthen your dog’s bond with your family.

Incorporate Dog Training Into Your Curriculum

Don’t let those sweet, innocent puppy-dog eyes fool you. Dogs are curious and can get into mischief in the blink of an eye. Obedience training to the rescue! Teach your dog basic obedience skills such as sit, stay, down, and come to ensure your dog’s safety as well as to help your dog develop into a well-behaved, beloved member of your family. Incorporate daily training sessions into your lesson plans and involve the entire family; everyone should know the correct words and accompanying hand signals to communicate so your dog will understand and perform the desired task. Do a search online and choose from the many how-to books on dog training, and be sure to check out the ones that target kids as trainers.

Add in a trick or two or 10 for fun. This is where your kids can really get involved, take the lead, and count it as homeschool credit. Kyra Sundance’s kid-friendly “101 Dog Tricks: Fun and Easy Activities, Games, and Crafts” will keep both kids and canines busy and learning together.

Encourage Your Kids to Read to Your Dog

Take your cue from public librarians across the country and invite your kids to read to your dog or a neighbor’s or friend’s dog. Dogs are impressive listeners; a dog’s mere presence has a comforting effect and consequently lessens your young readers’ stress levels while also strengthening their confidence.

Corinne Syrnyk, a developmental psychologist, found that when children were paired with a dog for read-aloud practice, at the end of eight weeks, the children’s oral reading and reading comprehension improved dramatically when compared to children who read aloud to a teacher.

Dig Into Dog-Themed Art and Science

Most kids love to doodle and draw. So grab the art supplies and invite your kids to follow along with the free tutorials on Art for Kids Hub.

Dogs are such food-motivated creatures, so score some points with your canine companion by baking some healthy, yummy, homemade treats. So, don your aprons and search Pinterest for easy kid-friendly treat recipes.

Designing your homeschool lessons around your dog is great fun, and when learning is fun, kids are highly motivated. And, bonus tip: When your dog is happily engaged and well-behaved on a daily basis, your kids are less likely to say, “The dog ate my homework, Mom!”