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Are your kids incessantly begging for a dog?
Are you agonizing over the decision of whether or not they are ready for the responsibility of pet ownership?
Well, as a proud pet parent, I can honestly say that my dog Freddie is my best friend and guardian angel. Therefore, in order to help spread the joy of dog ownership to your homes, I am going to focus my efforts on showing you how owning a dog can have enormous health benefits that far outweigh the cost of veterinarian bills and the occasional annoyance of having to wipe muddy paw prints off of your floors.
Dogs Help Kids Increase Their Emotional Intelligence
Empathy is a skill that must be taught to young kids. Entrusting your kids with the care of animals, especially highly social animals such as dogs, is a great way to teach them empathy.
Dogs Help Kids Fight Off Allergies
Most of us know that dogs are instinctively programmed to ward of intruders. But, did you know that dogs are also biologically programmed to help kids fight off allergies?
A study conducted at Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital and the Medical College of Georgia concluded that kids, who live with dogs, are 50% less likely to ever develop allergies. The secret lies in compounds called Endotoxins which exist in the mouths of dogs. Kids, who live with dogs, are exposed to these compounds constantly as they pet and play with their four-legged friends which may help explain why they have a lower risk of developing allergies.
Dogs Help Kids Cope With…
Only a pet parent can grasp the extent of the emotional support, companionship and unconditional love a dog can bring into your children’s lives. The strong bond that your children will form with their four-legged pal can help them get through tough times such as moving to a new school or dealing with their parents’ divorce.
Dogs Calm Kids
Cuddling with a furry friend is a great way for the young and the young at heart to relax. It’s no wonder than that researchers at the State University of New York, Buffalo have found that dog owners have a lower overall blood pressure when responding to stress than their pet-less peers.
However, this calming effect of dogs is two folds when it comes to children since besides helping children relax emotionally, dogs also help children calm physically by helping them shed excess energy through active play.
Dogs Help Kids Maintain A Healthy Weight
Of course, as a parent, you must make it perfectly clear to your kids that if they are to get a dog they must be willing to take on the responsibility of all the chores that come with dog ownership such as daily walks and playtime with the dog.
Besides teaching your kids responsibility, these daily chores will also help make them more physically active which is the first step to preventing childhood obesity. In fact, according to a study conducted at the St. George’s University of London, these light pet related chores can add as much as 11 more minutes of aerobic exercise to your kids’ day and encourage them to take as much as 360 more steps a day.
