Kids, dogs and mental health

Children and dogs - do they go well together?

Kids are usually excited about the idea of getting a dog, but as a parent, you are probably aware that there is also a great deal of responsibility coming with having another soul to take care of. Moreover, you could also be worried about whether your kid and the dog will get along well together.

Well, research suggests that a canine companion can do a lot of good for your child! And it’s not just about getting a buddy to play with - having a pet also supports the mental health of children. But how exactly can a dog do that? These are 3 ways dogs help develop the mind:

1. A canine companion offers support in every aspect of life

Dogs are incredibly loyal creatures. The love they give us is unconditional and something that children tend to understand instinctively. When a child has a dog as a friend, there will always be someone to play with, someone to share their feelings with. Just patting a dog has a calming effect on the human body, and that’s something children can definitely benefit from.

It is not rare for kids to feel misunderstood, especially during transitional phases when growing up. Even though you’d like to be there to help them with everything, sometimes they might not be ready to share what’s troubling them. In such cases, a dog companion can provide all the comfort and support needed.

For the same reasons, dogs can actually help children become more confident when learning and trying out new things. A dog is a companion that is never judgemental, and even though they can’t talk, they can help us feel understood. For example, this study shows that young kids can gain more confidence and learn faster when reading to dogs!

2. Dogs help children develop healthy relationships with people too

Children and dogs have a natural predisposition towards each other. It’s a friendship that’s easy to form, and it can become a model for all the relationships the child will form later in life. When growing up with a dog, the child learns how to respect another living being, on the one hand, and on the other hand knows that no matter what happens they have a companion who will not give up loving them.

All of this is something that transfers to relationships with humans too. Interacting with a dog helps build emotional and social intelligence, and these are extremely important aspects of growing up. Developed emotional intelligence and good social skills are the base we need for dealing with the challenges of life.

If this sounds a bit too much to be true, let us assure you. It is. Scientists have only recently started studying the effects of dogs on children, but the results are already quite promising. For example, a recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Western Australia and Telethon Kids Institute shows that children from families with dogs tend to be much better off when it comes to mental health.

“While we expected that dog ownership would provide some benefits for young children’s wellbeing, we were surprised that the mere presence of a family dog was associated with many positive behaviours and emotions”, says Professor Hayley Christian in an interview about the study for Medical Xpress. The study has shown that children who grow up around dogs tend to be more emotionally stable, and more social overall. They show antisocial behaviour much less frequently and they are more considerate towards their peers.

3. Dogs help children learn what responsibility means

Finally, taking care of a dog helps teach your kids an important concept: responsibility. A dog needs to be fed every day, needs walks, needs regular grooming, and these are all activities even young children can participate in. Let them take on a part of caring for the dog (with supervision of course) and you get an easy opportunity for kids to learn what it means to take care of another living being. Having a dog in your household does mean having an additional obligation, but we think the benefits by far outweigh the downsides. Having a canine member of the household can help the whole family be more active and get more exercises. Moreover, activities with the dog create opportunities for everyone to get together. Kids will always have someone to play with or comfort them if need be. And finally, dogs are just bundles of cuteness and joy - it’s hard to say no to that.

Sharon Elber is a Professional Trainer at Gentle Dog Trainers.