Let?s face it most children love dogs?and for very good reason. Dogs are fun to play and cuddle with. They are cute to the point of exhaustion at times, but they do enrich the lives of the people they touch. While the parents tend to take on the burden of care and maintenance, they also offer a special kind of companionship to children. Most people who own dogs may only be doing it because they are “dog people” or because they “decided to rescue” or “wanted some at-home security.” But, whatever the reason the adoption?happened, a lot more good is coming out of it than most people may really understand.

happy girl with a dog licking her face

Dogs and children benefit each other more than meets the eye and here are few awesome reasons for children to grow up with a dog in the house.

 

Anxiety

Dogs provide comfort to children in the early stages of childhood. Interaction with dogs has been proven to raise the chemical levels of serotonin and dopamine increasing positive feelings. These positive emotions help a child to build confidence in themselves laying the ground to a healthy psyche.

Health

Benefits for children having a dog from birth are that dogs assist with their psychological and physical development. Studies show children who grow up with a dog in their life are more active than those without. Walking and playing with their best friend helps keep them moving and fit which lowers a child?s risk for cardiovascular disease. A Journal of Pediatrics case study shows kids who had a dog during the beginning stages of life?higher immune response, with 31% fewer?respiratory tract infections than children without.

Responsibility

A child owning a dog can help to teach them the much-needed lesson of responsibility. Making sure their furry family member has food and water gives children a glimpse of accountability and obligation. They learn how sharing their time and dedication benefits not only themselves but others as well. Children learn empathy and compassion by caring for their pet.

Cognitive Skills

Once a child bonds with their pet, this strong attraction can promote higher levels of cognitive developmental skills. Skills such as problem solving, decision making, and memory recall become stronger. Walking, reading to, feeding and playing with their dog teaches a child to understand concepts and perceive the quality of life in a much better way than children with a pet.

We?ve learned that there?s definitely an abundance of reasons for children to have a dog as their childhood companion. Dogs benefit children by reducing anxieties, lowering the chances to certain mental and physical health deficiencies and even building better cognitive skills which can lead to a healthier more positive adulthood. The obvious reason for a child to have a dog growing up is… Dogs make us Happy!

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