Pedigree: Dogphonics by BBDO

Pedigree Petfoods has created a canine reading program for children in New Zealand to encourage them to read to a dog.

The program, called “Dogphonics” and created by Colenso BBDO, aims to address children’s fears of reading aloud, leading to falling child literacy rates in the last two years. It wants to do this t having children read five books to dogs.

Dogs were chosen after a study co-created by the Mars-owned brand and The Waltham Petcare Science Institute found that having a dog as a listener can improve a child’s sense of confidence, moderate feelings of anxiety, and provide support.

The book titles include ‘It Was Not Me, I Did Not Eat The Alphabet’ and ‘Where Are My Pants?’ and is on sale in selected bookstores and on Amazon.com. All proceeds from book sales go towards rehoming shelter dogs.

“Our purpose at Pedigree is to ‘feed the good’ dogs bring to the world. Hence, we have a long history of creatively celebrating not only how we as humans literally ‘feed the good’ in dogs, but how dogs also ‘feed the good’ in humans, as their lovable innocence brings out the best in us,” said Fabio Alings, global brand director for Pedigree at Mars.

“The Pedigree Dogphonics book set perfectly captures the essence of that purpose: Dogs boosting the confidence of children who are learning to read, and young readers returning that favor by helping shelter dogs find a loving home to call their own.”