Top 5 Benefits of Having a Dog For a Child
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself,” Josh Billings – comedian. He could never be far from the truth. Most children adore dogs and they are right to do that. Dogs are cuddly, friendly, and a good companion under all circumstances.
There is nothing as good as having a four-legged animal in your family. Whether it’s a dog, cat or a bonny horse for that matter, they play a significant role in family life. These furry friends will show you and your kids nothing but pure affection and love. No wonder the common cliché, “a dog is man’s best friend.” Not only does a dog become part of a family, but also it comes with numerous benefits to your children.
Dogs provide not only light moments which help overcome stress but also they help with the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of your child. If these facts do not make you start looking for a dog for your child today, then read on to find more reasons to buy a dog.
With almost zero effort, any kind of pet in the family can bring so much joy. A pet can make you laugh, be there for you at all times and most importantly comfort you when you are down. It is a no brainer why millions of Indian homes own one pet or another.
The truth is, a dog is a perfect fit for any family no matter the setup. Whether you are living in the hilly Ooty region or in the city, you can keep a dog. A dog can adapt to its environment easily and you can work with it. Having a dog for your child will teach him to be responsible, patient, compassionate, trustful and respectful.
While pets come with lots of benefits for the entire family, children likewise have a lot they can offer the dog in return. Therefore, both the child and the dog will benefits from the cuddles, sleep time and high energy from play time.
Your child might not know the benefits that he will get from a pet, but you do. However, before you introduce this new family member, ensure that you teach your child that a pet once introduced in the family is there to stay. Also, teach him that once you brink in a puppy, it will grow into a big dog. Make sure also that he understands the responsibility of owning a pet.
Sit with your child and explain to him his responsibility to the pet. However, however much he will understand the responsibility of owning a pet, ensure you are available as the backup plan for the caring of that pet.
Studies have found out that a child who grows up in a family with a dog have lower cases of getting ear and respiratory tract infections. This means fewer doses of antibiotics will be required and lower chances of developing antibiotic resistance. According to research, when a child is exposed to the fur of a pet, it helps to increase the immune system. He can be able to fend off allergies. In fact, children with dog pets have better immunity against allergies as compared to those with cats. However, for better immunity development, a child should be exposed to a dog very early in his life.
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Reasons Why Every Family Should Have a Pet
The following are some of the major reasons why every family should have a pet:
- Pets bring people together – it is no brainer to realize that children feel connected to each other when there is a pet at home. They can spend hours on end talking about their pets. Siblings can be drawn closer to each other as they work together to take care of the pet. Besides that, a family that has a pet is a family nit together. The more the pets, the better.
- Pets teach responsibility – with your help, your child will learn how to take care of the pet. He will learn which food he should give to the pet, how to water him, clean and the general comfort of the pet. He will learn how to do all this to a child consistently so that the pet will be healthy and well.
- Pets teach compassion and gentleness – keeping the pet in good health condition is one thing and knowing how to treat it with kindness and talk to it is another. Pets help you to teach your child about empathy and this can be transferred to taking care of others.
- Trust – a pet, more especially a dog offers unwavering support when a child or any family member, in that case, is sad, upset or angry. A pet can teach your child to trust the pet, himself and thereby build trust with other people.
- Loyalty – pets are loyal friends and they show good examples of how to treat others. They help teach that other family members are important and they deserve to be treated nicely.
- Self-esteem – when a child sees how the pet loves unconditionally, it helps to boost your child’s self-esteem. Being responsible also in taking care of the pet, it helps increase your child’s esteem.
- Bereavement – if by any chance the pet passes away, your child will learn about the grieving process.
Scientific Reasons to Get a Dog
If someone asks you why you want to get a dog for your child, the following are some of the scientific reasons that you can give him:
1. You become more resistant to allergies
To some people, dog dander is a major trigger for allergies. But research has indicated that a child growing up in a home with a dog is less likely to develop allergies. For the better benefit for immunity against allergies, it starts during the gestation period. A study found out that there is a bacterial exchange between the pregnant mother and the dog. When children born to mothers that had any contact with a dog during pregnancy have were tested, they were found with Oscillospira and Ruminococcus bacteria. These bacteria help in the fight against allergies, obesity and asthma.
2. Better Heart Health
Owning a dog tends to better heart health. Studies have shown that petting a dog helps to lower blood pressure and the rate of the heartbeat. In 2017, research was published about the direct link between owning a dog and reduced cases of heart problems. Other studies have shown that dog owners have lower cholesterol hence reduces risks of developing heart disease.
3. Dogs Might Detect Cancer
Your dog can help if you have cancer. People have told stories of how their dogs kept licking a lump on their body. When this was checked it turned out to be cancer. These stories have been proved by scientific research that some dogs can be trained to detect cancerous growth in the human body.
4. Your Children Will be More Empathic
In 2017, a study of 1000 kids between 7 and 12 years found out that children who had an attachment to a dog were more empathic and had positive attitudes as compared to those without. The study further found out that children with pets perform better in school. The dogs help the children to regulate their emotions. When the god plays with your child, it helps your child to learn more positive attitudes.
5. Happiness
Anyone who owns a dog is less likely to be depressed as compared to someone who does not have a dog.
Besides that, the love you get from a dog and by interacting with it, it helps you to become positive. Studies have found out that even a mere looking at a dog if you are the owner, it increases oxytocin (the feel-good hormone) in the brain.
Benefits of Having a Cat at Home
According to scientific research, watching a cat video help to boost your energy levels and have positive thoughts. If watching a cat video is beneficial, what about owning one? The following are the benefits of owning a cat:
1. Finding a Life Partner
Are you single and you are finding it hard to get a partner? Get a cat! Studies have found out that ladies like men who have a pet. Many people will suggest a dog as the animal that will take you out to meet your Mrs Right, studies found out that 90% of women prefer cats to dogs. If you are using a dating agency, indicating that you are a cat lover or owns one will increase your chances of getting a partner sooner.
2. Healthful Heart
Owning a pet is a good remedy for your heart. Cats help to lower the stress and anxiety levels. Petting the fur of a cat has a soothing effect. Studies have found out that people who own cats are less likely to develop heart problems. This is because they have low blood pressure and are generally more relaxed.
3. Companionship
For women mostly, a cat can be a good companion. Research has found out that a woman with a is as satisfied as having a romantic partner. Studies show that cats are capable of remembering the kindness shown to them and return the favor.
Besides that, cats make cries when they want something. Naturally, humans respond to cries. When you respond to your cat’s cry, it helps you to become a better compassionate person.
4. It Can Help You Know Your Personality
The kind of pet you keep shows your personality. A cat owner is quieter and most of them are introverts, unlike dog owners who like the life of partying. Besides that, cat owners are not manipulative and they are modest and trustworthy.
5. A cat can save your life
Over the years, cats have helped save the lives of their owners. Stories have been told of cats that have warned others when the owner is about to have an epileptic seizure. The most renown story of the cat’s heroic act of saving lives is the 1949 Yangtze. The cat was on board HMS Amethyst. When the ship hit a rock and killed several ship crews, the cat known as Simon though it was hurt in the shipwreck helped to catch rats that were in the ship and that were trying to eat the food supply for the survivors. The cat helped to prevent the diminishing of the food supply. The cat was awarded the Dickin Medal in the UK for its heroic act of saving lives.
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Benefits of Having a Dog for Your Child
When your child hangs out with these four-legged animals, he is likely to get the following benefits:
1. He will be active and Fit
Owning a dog can help your kid to spend more time being active. He will spend more time walking the dog or just to spend more time with the dog. It thus helps him to be more active.
In turn, by your child being active it will help him to live a more active life the rest of his life. An active life helps to maintain a good weight, fewer chances of becoming sick and have more frequent and vigorous exercise. The exercise has several benefits to your child. It will help burn calories and fat, increase immunity and have more energy.
2. Helps your child feel safe
Dogs have the ability to smell things around. A dog can smell anything that is a potential threat to your child. When your child knew that his dog will warn him of potential danger, he will feel safe. The dog will not only warn of possible danger in the house but also outside when they are playing.
When the dog senses any potential danger, he will bark or growl to send a warning to the owner. This helps to know when something is amiss.
3. Social Skill Development
A dog can help your child no matter the age to develop his social skills. A study found out that when a child has a dog, he is more likely to introduce himself, respond to other people’s questions and ask for information from others.
The study found out that 40% of dog owners make friends more easily. When your child takes his dog for a walk, he is likely to speak with other dog owners thereby increasing his social circle. The more he talks to more people, the more outgoing he is likely to become.
4. Learning/academic skills
A dog can play a role in improving a child’s performance in class. This is due to the fact that a dog is a good reading companion. Children learn better when their pets are close by. There are many other things that a dog can help your child learn apart from academic learning.
5. Companionship
Childhood is the time when a child learns and experiences many things. A dog is a constant companion to the owner. He provides not only companionship but also moral support as he grows.
The dog also will provide comfort for your child, there is no time that the dog will leave your child alone. The dog will be there for your child even when your child is feeling unwell. By your child spending more time with your child, he will learn to have a positive outlook on life and himself.
Conclusion
The natural bond between animals and humans has a mutual benefit to the parties involved. While many people understand the benefits of owning a pet, the benefits extend beyond the individual owner of the pet.
According to scientific research, having a bond with a pet comes with numerous benefits. Top among the benefits of human-animal bonding include:
• Therapeutic animals that are used in pediatric cancer centers showed an improvement of the patients in participation in treatment protocols. The pets help patients to remain optimistic and want to get better.
• Adult walking programs saw an increase in walking over a period of time.
• Patients that suffer from fibromyalgia who spent more time with the therapy dog showed improvement in their pain and mood management after spending time with the therapy dog.
You don’t own a dog yet? You have all the reasons to search for the nearest dog seller today.