Getting a dog is a very exciting time for everyone in your family. Having a loyal companion who is always ecstatic to be in your presence will bring your family a lot of laughter and love over the years. They also provide a myriad of benefits to the kids in your household. Giving a child a dog they can call their “own” will affect them positively in many different ways. The three main benefits that a dog provides to a child are physical, educational and psychological.
Physical Benefits
Many breeds of dogs are very active- they’re always up for a game of fetch, they rarely don’t want to go for a walk or run, and they will definitely get your kids off the TV or computer. Taking the dog for a walk just once a day has been proven to be effective in fighting childhood obesity and playing games of tag or tug of war can help your kids grow strong muscles.
Educational Benefits
Taking care of a dog is a big responsibility, but it’s not so hard that a child can’t do it. Owning and caring for a pet teaches kids important lessons in discipline, responsibility and time management. It also teaches empathy, which will be a vital skill as your child grows and starts branching out into the world. Dogs make great homework companions and they’re always popular at show and tell.
Psychological Benefits
Dogs have been proven to be incredibly helpful in dealing with everything from depression to anxiety, autism to ADD, and plenty of other ailments and disorders in between. Dogs are truly man’s best friend, and they can help a child during a difficult move or divorce by remaining that constant presence that relies on your kids for love and companionship.