Children Benefit From Growing Up With Dogs

Most people see the family dog as a companion for their children. But the experience and learning that children get from having a family dog is invaluable. Children and families benefit remarkable ways! Even children with ability challenges use therapy dogs to promote functioning contributing to a positive scene-of-self.

A dog provides children with a sense of responsibility.

As children get older they can take on more age-appropriate tasks related to dog care. Such as feeding, grooming and walking the dog. Having consistent family chores is an essential part of skill development for success in adulthood. Not only does taking responsibility for the dog give your child skill development, it also empowers your child to understand how his or her actions contribute to the bigger picture of family cohesion; that not following through with the tasks affects more than just one entity directly.

Caring for a dog also provides the child’s developing mind with strong emotional intelligence as they grasps complex concepts such as empathy, by observing how the dog benefits directly from their positive interactions.

Having a dog while children are growing benefits children in all circumstances; but sometimes the most obvious benefits are seen in homes where children have a companion dog to facilitate independence in their lives. Therapy dogs are being used in many circumstances. For children who are blind, deaf, or have epilepsy or autism, just to name a few challenges. These dogs are specially trained by professionals to aid the child to function in society. Dogs are now capable of warning an epileptic when a seizure is about to occur. Helping the person get help and be safe prior to having a seizure episode. The mystery of how dogs proactively sense when a seizure is about to occur remains a mystery, that perhaps, human do not need to understand. In autism research, therapy dogs have been instrumental in helping children gain social and vocabulary skills. The dog gives them a discussion to share at school. At home, the dog acts as a non-judgmental listener as the child vents about their day, and practices their reading skills. Autistic children have been known to read to the dog privately, because they feel less judged by the dog than they would feel reading to a parent or teacher. Even children with typical development can benefit from the social and vocabulary skills they can gain from having a dog as a good listener at home.