Getting a dog for your kid is essential for their overall growth. There are many lessons to be learned, for instance, patience and responsibility. A dog is considered a man’s best friend; hopefully, that applies to kids as well. Check out these research-backed reasons why it is ideal to get a pet dog for your kids.
A dog will teach your child to be responsible. If you need help walking the dog, feeding it, and grooming it, you can delegate such tasks to your kids. It helps the kids learn how to hard but necessary it is to be responsible for other beings.
They also learn how to appreciate you as the guardian for the role you play in their lives by replicating almost everything you do for them to their pet dogs. With time, you will begin to notice how well they will be taking care of themselves.
Dogs help in the development of unique skills. Kids are naturally warm-hearted. They would want to interact with their dogs, talk to them, and read them a story or two. A 2017 study shows that engaging with pets improve the kids’ literacy, language, and reading ability, even for better communication with other people. The interaction helps improve their attention, memory, and categorization abilities.
Dogs help your kids become more caring and understanding. You should know that kids are keen to read emotions in a room. Emotional intelligence is essential for human interaction, especially if it is between kids or kids and adults. Kids want to feel loved and wanted by their pet dogs. A common and mutual love for a pet will improve the relationship between your kids and other kids.
Understanding is an important virtue, just like patience. Your kid needs to learn how to be patient with someone by understanding their good and bad days. By indulging in pet-oriented tasks, the kid will ultimately develop self-esteem, self-confidence, commitment, and a sense of responsibility.
Dogs help to reduce anxiety and stress levels. There are specially trained dogs that help people with anxiety-related issues. They are trained to provide a sense of peace and calm and anticipate anxiety attacks. Allowing your kids to play or cuddle with the dog helps produce the happy hormone oxytocin, which helps in soothing your kids’ nerves.
Dogs protect your kids and are considered very loyal to the owner. They offer protection to your home and the family members. Having a dog reduces the chances of a break-in since it will alert the homeowner if there is an attempted break-in and robbery. Dogs are always on guard, waiting to bark or pounce on anyone intending on harming your kids; or even you.
Dogs help strengthen your kids’ immune system. Kids who live and interact with dogs have a lesser chance of getting sick. This is because when a dog moves in, it carries with it germs and bacteria that your child’s immune system will build defenses against. It ultimately assists them in fighting immune-threatening illnesses as they develop.
Dogs offer unconditional love and companionship. A pet dog is always ready to play with your kids. Even when you live far away from other families and your kid has no one to interact with, getting a dog will offer them companionship. Dogs love unconditionally, and so do kids. If the love between the dog and the kid turns out mutual, then your kid will not feel lonely and unwanted.
Dogs keep your kids active and physically fit. If you are worried that your kid is not living a healthy lifestyle, get a dog. You can delegate duties such as walking the dog to your kids. Encourage your kids to play with the dog. The kid will strive to keep up with the dog’s unmatched physical capabilities. Your child will shed off extra weight and will have sleep sound after a tiresome day playing with the dog.
Dogs enhance your kids’ social life. A kid will naturally want to interact with other dog owners. A mutual interest in dogs will keep your kid and others talking, interacting, sharing ideas, and making more friends.
Bottom Line
There is no reason why you should not get a dog for your kids. The most important thing to note is adult supervision. Some dogs cannot draw the line between aggression and excitement. Therefore, ensure you are present whenever your kids and the dog are interacting.
