You may not be head over heels at the idea of having a furry friend running around your house, potentially peeing on your floors, scratching up your furniture, and chewing up your favorite pair of shoes. But, your child may be begging you for a dog every morning and every night. And, it may just benefit your kids if you just gave in just this once.
There is research that indicates children who have a dog at home could expect healthier levels of psychological development. In a research study, Australian scientists gathered data from over 1,500 parents that had girls and boys aged 3 to 5. They analyzed a breadth of socio-demographic factors including screen time, work status, sleep time, siblings, and level of education of the parents. They also collected information on metrics like family dog walking and playing with the dog or dogs.They then used a scale to measure the childrens’ emotional and social development.
After adjusting their data to account for potentially confounding variables, they compared children with dogs to children who do not have dogs at home. They found that children who had dogs were 40% less likely to find relating to peers difficult, 30% less likely to have conduct problems, and 34% more likely to demonstrate behavior that helps kids socially. They did not find any association between dog ownership and hyperactivity or emotional difficulties.
There is no causal link to this; however, one author had the observational finding that the dog ownership benefits start early on in a person’s life. Before going out and getting a dog just because it could be beneficial for your kid, you need to understand the responsibilities and costs associated with buying and owning a dog.
Parents may voice concern that a dog might be too active and need constant attention, and while this may be true to an extent, you can calm them down with CBD oil for dogs. You can also have your child run around with them, outside. You’ll be killing two birds with one stone, a tired dog and tired kid make bedtime a lot easier for you.
If your kid is an only child, a dog can be really helpful in helping them be less lonely. This can help them share time with their parents which can help them learn that they can not always be the center of attention. Having a dog will teach kids, no matter how many you have, to have responsibility. They will need to take care of their dogs by walking and feeding them! Taking them on walks can help ensure your kids stay active, especially if sports are not their thing.
There are so many obvious benefits to having a dog for your kid, that it seems to outweigh the costs. Of course, take the time to ensure the benefits outweigh the costs for your family. Think about who will take care of the dog and how often someone will be home to take care of him or her. If you are giving in to your kid who keeps asking for a dog, make sure you make it clear to them that they will be taking care of their dog. They can become best friends and their new best friend can help with their human social skills!