Many Ways
Kids Benefit from Having a Dog
Want a
smarter, more empathetic, possibly healthier child? Who wouldn’t?
Having a
family dog can benefit your child’s emotional intelligence, according to a
collection of scientific studies outlined by Nienke Endenburg and Ben
Baarda in their paper The Role of Pets in Enhancing Human Well-being:
Effects on Child Development, which was reprinted from The Waltham Book of
Human-Animal Interactions: Benefits and Responsibilities. Other research shows
that pets can have a positive effect on your child's health, too. Here are
seven ways kids who have a pet in the home have a leg up on those who don't:
1) They have
higher self esteem: When given tasks to complete, such as helping with the
care of a pet, kids show an improvement in self esteem. The tasks should be
age-appropriate, though, the authors say, such as allowing a 3-year-old who is
too young to walk a dog instead put the water bowl down.
2) They’re
more compassionate: Multiple studies showed that children who owned pets
were more empathetic towards others. “If there are pets in the house, parents
and children frequently share in taking care of the pet, which suggests that
youngsters learn at an early age how to care for and nurture a dependent
animal,” Endenburg and Baarda write.
3) They feel
supported: Several researchers found that children often name their pet
when asked who they would go to with a problem. “Pets can make people feel
unconditionally accepted, whereas fellow humans will jue and may criticize,”
the report continues.
4) They have
better cognitive skills: Some research has suggested that kids who talk to
pets, whether by giving praise and commands or just babbling, show improved
cognitive development.
5) They have
less stress: Petting a dog has been proven to lower cortisol levels
in both the person and the pet. Also, research has found that children’s
stress levels decrease when reading aloud to a dog.
6) They're
happier: Playing with a pet raises levels of serotonin and dopamine,
which calm the mind and increase the mood.
7) They're
healthier: Besides the obvious benefits of being more active and getting
outside more often when playing with a dog, several studies have suggested
that children who have dogs have a decreased chance of developing allergies. A
current study is underway to determine if dogs could even have a probiotic-like
effect on the human body. Read more about that here.
When
selecting a dog for your child, make sure to research the breeds and speak
to the breeder about your family’s lifestyle so that you can ensure the pet you
get is the best fit for your whole family.
Also, be
sure to educate children about dog body
language and always supervise their interactions.
Source:
akc.org
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