Growing up with a dog has a tonne of advantages. In addition to having a furry best friend around through everything and anything, being best friends with a dog can also make childhood happier.
If you’re thinking about getting a family dog and wondering what kind of effect it will have on your kin, take a look at all the benefits a dog can bring with it.
A Loyal Friend
No matter what is going on with your child’s friendships at school, you can be sure that he will always have a friend at home. Childhood can be a testing time and it’s full of ups and downs. Dogs are excellent at sensing their owners moods and will act accordingly.
You may notice your dog following your children around or sitting close to them. Research has shown that petting a dog can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and lower blood pressure.
Physical Exercise
Children with dogs often get more exercise than children without dogs. Dogs need to be walked daily and it can help to encourage the whole family to get physical exercise outdoors. It’s also a great excuse for kids to have fun.
Throwing a ball or a frisbee in a park is the perfect way to spend an afternoon with your furry friend. Kids love to get involved with games like this- it’s great for a giggle.
Teaching Responsibility
Is your child old enough to take on some of the responsibility of a puppy? Bringing a puppy into the family is a great way to teach some responsibility to older children. Whether you make your kids responsible for feeding your puppy or encourage them to walk the puppy everyday, it’s a great way to introduce being responsible for something other than themselves.
Getting your children involved in training your puppy is also a good idea. There are certain breeds that are easier to train than others. For instance, labrador retrievers are ideal for training and being around children of all ages. You can learn more at this link.
Increased Immunity
Studies have shown that raising children with dogs helps to increase the strength of their immune systems. In fact, adults who have been raised with dogs are less likely to get ill. Dogs will undoubtedly carry bacteria and microbes into your home from outside but this helps to build immunity in everyone in the family.
Children with pets also have a reduced risk of developing allergies. Allergies to pet fur and even pollen can be dramatically reduced when you grow up living with a dog.
Love and Loyalty
Having a pet dog is the best example of love and loyalty to children. Dogs are loyal by nature but they’re also affectionate. You may notice your dog crawl onto your child’s lap and cuddle up while they both watch the TV.
You may notice your dog walking closely behind or at the side of your children when you go for walks. These demonstrations of loyalty are the perfect lesson for your children as they develop a sense of what is to be loyal to others.
Social Practice
When walking your dog, your children will be presented many opportunities to talk to other dog walkers. Owning a dog can help children practice their social skills. Dogs like to meet other dogs and that often means that owners need to learn to communicate with each other.
Even if your children leave all the conversation up to you, having a dog still allows your children to practice their talking skills. Calling your dog by name or saying a command is an excellent way to develop confidence.
Protection
Dogs are very protective of their family members. When you own a dog you become part of his pack. Dogs have a sixth sense for knowing that children are more vulnerable than adults.
If your child is ever in danger and your dog is with him, you can guarantee that your dog will try and protect as best as he can. This may not mean aggression but your dog may display other signs of protection, like barking or jumping.
Bonding With Siblings
There’s nothing like a dog to bond siblings. Playing together with the dog offers tons of opportunities for fun and laughter. Sharing a pet means that siblings have to cooperate with each other.
It could mean sharing the responsibility of feeding and walking the dog. It could mean figuring out whose bed the dog is going to sleep on that night. Owning a dog makes sibling relationships much easier to navigate.
Time Outdoors
Owning a dog means making the most of every bit of sunshine you see. Dogs love to be outdoors and this presents a great opportunity for the family to spend more time outdoors too. The benefits of this are endless.
In addition to a good dose of vitamin D, fresh air, and social interaction, spending time outdoors is fantastic for everyone’s mental health. Children need to look after their mental health just as much as adults do.
Positive Feelings
When the world feels like a dark place, having a dog around brings back some light. The bottom line is that dogs make children feel happy. You’ll notice the big smile on your child’s face as he plays tug of war with your puppy. There’s nothing that can replace that authentic happiness for a child.
Those positive feelings are ones your child can take with him into every situation. The more positive his experiences, the better equipped he is to handle bad experiences in life. The happiness a dog brings sets the foundation for building a positive future.
Owning a new puppy isn’t a responsibility to take lightly. It’s a lot of work and you’ll need flexibility in your schedule to raise a puppy, in the same way you raise a child. However, a puppy can become an irreplaceable part of the family. If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, take a look at the others.