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A grandmother on a couch reads aloud from an open book while a white Maltese sniffs the pages with interest. 22 / 32

Abuela Was Reading Aloud When Her Listener Decided to Check the Book Himself

AI imagemaltesereadingcouch

Abuela Rosa is right in the middle of a sentence when Copito decides to get a closer look at the story. She holds the open book low, reading aloud with her lips still forming the words, while the little Maltese pushes his nose right up to the edge of the pages. His ears are relaxed and his eyes are bright, as if the plot has just taken an interesting turn. Rosa wears her familiar floral apron over a gray sweater, and the couch around them is piled with soft pillows, a crocheted throw, and a pair of jeans waiting to be folded. A basket of yarn and knitting needles, a mug, and a tissue box sit nearby.

Reading aloud to a dog is more than just a sweet habit. Dogs often respond to a calm, steady voice, and many seem to enjoy the closeness and attention that come with story time. Some libraries and schools even run programs where children practice reading to friendly, trained dogs, because a dog is a patient listener that never corrects mistakes. For older adults, reading aloud can be a pleasant way to keep a daily routine and to use the voice and mind together. The dog does not need to follow the plot to enjoy the company.

Copito may be more interested in how the pages smell than in what happens next, and that is perfectly all right. Rosa has an audience, Copito has a front-row seat, and the story goes on, one chapter and one sniff at a time.

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A grandmother in jeans and a floral apron walks a white Maltese on a leash down a dirt country road at sunset.The Sun Was Going Down on the Old Dirt Road, and Copito Was Leading the WayA grandmother whittles a piece of wood on a porch, curled shavings in her lap, as a white Maltese watches closely.Abuela Was Carving Something Out of an Old Block of Wood. Copito Had to Know What.A grandmother kneeling on a patterned rug gently holds the raised paw of a white Maltese in her living room.Abuela Spent All Week Teaching Copito One Trick. Today He Finally Got It.A grandmother reads a folded newspaper while a white Maltese sleeps curled up on her floral apron.Abuela Opened the Morning Paper, but She Couldn't Turn the Page Without Waking Him