All parents at least one time in their life get asked by their kids to get a pet. Usually, adults see buying a pet as a problem. Looking after a pet requires money, time and efforts. Not a parent is willing to buy a pet without taking into consideration all the problems that come with having a furry family member. However, some parents do understand the benefits for their kids to have a pet. They accept all the issues that come together with buying a cute furry friend for their children because they see many more positives.
In this article, we will discuss 5 benefits for kids to grow up with dogs. By the end of reading this article, you will probably want to get a dog yourself even if you are not a kid anymore.
5 Reasons to Get Your Kid a Dog
Dogs are cute. Small and big they always make people smile. If just a look or presence of a dog makes you smile how do you think it will make you feel when you have one yourself? There are so many different breeds, to choose from. You can read up about choosing a perfect dog if you have kids or planning to have a baby. Tips and recommendations can help to adopt the breed that will perfectly suit your lifestyle and expectations.
There are pros and cons of having a pet, however, the number of pros outweighed the number of cons. So why is the idea of a kid growing up with a dog nice?
#1 Stronger Immune System
We all heard some parents going mad and screaming at their kids saying “Don’t touch that dog/cat” But you will be nicely surprised to find out that those kids that grow up around dogs have better health. Kuopio University Hospital in Finland has done research and found that babies who were born in families with dogs had less respiratory illnesses than those who were born in non-dog-owning families. The study shows that dogs cause more exposure to a mild amount of germs, therefore, babies and young children have improved immune system from a very young age. So, this is a very strong reason to get a dog to have a healthy child. You have probably heard the stories of people not being able to get pets because of asthma or allergy. Those kids who grow with dogs have breathing problems much less. Also, kids raised with dogs have fewer problems with skin like eczema since they deal with a mild allergy from a very young age. When becoming teenagers and adults, the risk of having skin problems is very low for them.
#2 Sense of Responsibility
Of course, since the moment you get your child a dog, he or she will have to learn how to be responsible. Small children won’t be able to walk dogs, cook for them or take them to a vet but there are other ways how kids can get used to the feeling of being responsible. A child can learn to look after a dog by checking whether a pet still has water and food in bowls. Kids of three years old can fill the bowls with water and food, comb pet’s fur and clean it.
#3 Active and Lively Daily Routine
Even though young children can’t be fully responsible for dogs, therefore, they can’t take them for walks, they are still much more active than their peers who don’t own pets. Kids who grow up with dogs are physically active: they play with their pets, run after them, throw their favourite toys and then pick them up. Plenty of playtime will keep a kid active regardless of the season. Dogs motivate you to get out of bed and stay active even if you are not feeling up to it. Receive studies procedure that those kids who have dogs stay active 11 minutes longer than their peers who don’t have pets. Actually, getting a dog can change a kid’s lifestyle. Many children put up weight because they don’t have many friends, therefore, don’t go out. Getting a furry friend can change a child’s life and interests. By staying active, a child becomes healthier and more resistant to illnesses that other kids suffer from. It’s known that an active lifestyle improves health as well as dogs reduces stress making kids laugh and smile more often.. So, when a child gets abused at school or having difficulty with studying at school, having a dog as a best friend who constantly wants to play will keep stress away from a child.
#4 Unconditional Love and Support
Dogs give unconditional love which makes kids feel happier. Dogs can’t dislike, hate, judge, laughter at something or be biased. This is why people and especially kids love to be around them. Having a dog means that a child will always have a companion. Dogs help kids to overcome stress, deal with illnesses especially autism, they don’t allow children to feel lonely and emotionally abused. Dogs are the best friends for kids: a young child feels excited about reading out loud when the dog is around. Such a simple example proves how much kids’ mental health benefits from having a furry friend.
#5 Happier Life
Kids who are born with families who own dogs seem much happier. It’s not just the fact that they can stroke their cute dogs, snuggle with them and run after them. Scientific studies have shown that dogs can lower blood pressure in humans, speed up recovery time, reduce stress and anxiety. Kids quickly relate to pets: they feel their honesty, warm heart and unconditional love.
Conclusion
These are just 5 reasons why it’s beneficial for kids to grow up with dogs and they are really impressive. Now you know why people who own pets are usually kinder, smile more often and take life and deal with problems easier. It may be hard to believe but dogs do change our lives. Even though they don’t live as long as us, the years spent with them always leave great memories.
Bio
Louis Robidoux is a blogger who enjoys writing articles that are of great interest to society. After having lots of posts published on different platforms, Louis decided to create his own site deeptop10.com where he’s covering topics about food, interesting hacks and lifestyle.