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It makes sense that
even healthy children may experience benefits from owning a dog.
What are some ways dogs affect children emotionally, socially
and physically?
Can Your Dog Teach
Your Child to Read?
A program was started
that introduced the concept of children reading to dogs. The
idea was that the child would be calmed by the presence of the
dog as well as stimulated by the contact without the pressures
of reading to a teacher or a peer.
The children loved
the experience and the program creators noted that reading
skills, including stuttering, improved. While not all reading
problems can be corrected with a dog’s company it is certainly a
matter of interest to parents.
Owning a Dog Can
REDUCE Allergies
Several pediatric
experts have disowned the theory that early exposure to pets is
a prime cause of allergies in children. In fact, the PAWSitive
Interaction organization arranged a summit that included
information suggesting exposure to pets by pregnant women and
babies born into households with two or more pets actually had
less allergies to the pets and other allergens than children not
exposed.
Dogs Improve Social
and Emotional Well-being
Anyone who has owned
a dog can attest to the relaxing effects of owning a pet.
Studies have shown that petting an animal can reduce anxiety and
tension. The companionship of a dog can also help children build
self-esteem and ease social interactions.
Dogs provide
non-judgmental company and unwavering loyalty. To young children
facing a world in which they are struggling to find their place
a dog can help them develop a sense of themselves while also
decreasing feelings of loneliness and encouraging empathy.
Physical Benefits for
Children with Dogs
While physical
therapies and assistance programs commonly incorporate dogs even
healthy children can benefit physically from owning a dog.
Dogs demand a certain
amount of physical play and care. Children may be more motivated
to be physically active when they are with a dog than without.
While dogs cannot be
the only answer to serious conditions, owning a dog can surely
provide many benefits to your child when wisely selected and
trained to compliment the family’s lifestyle and the child’s
personality. Having a devoted dog in the home can contribute to
a parent’s efforts to raise their child into a caring and
balanced adult |
