I will be the first to admit that I am not a pet person and one of my biggest pet peeves is a dog doing its business on my lawn. But I have also dedicated a huge portion of my career to educating others about the mental health benefits of nature, including pet ownership. Although I personally don’t tap into this aspect of nature, I recognize how so many people (including most of my neighbors) feel happier and calmer by welcoming a furry friend into their home.
Dogs, in particular, have gotten a great deal of attention lately for being a soothing friend to their human owners. A recent study by Preventing Chronic Disease revealed that having a dog as a child makes an individual less likely to suffer from anxiety later in life. Scientists compared two study groups of young children: 370 who were living with a dog and 273 who were not. They discovered that 12 percent of those who grew up with a pet dog suffered from anxiety compared to 21 percent who didn’t have a dog.
Here are a few of the emotional benefits of having dogs for kids:
Offers Comfort and Companionship
The companionship of a pet offers coping skills for kids by alleviating loneliness and isolation, which can be part of anxiety and depression. Kids find support and security in having a pet companion to always be there for them and provide them with the feeling of unconditional love. A study published in the The Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health concluded, “There is growing evidence that children turn to their pets for comfort, reassurance, and emotional support when feeling anger, sadness, or happiness. Thus, it is plausible that companion animals may have the potential to encourage better emotional health and reduce anxiety and depression.” Learn how your child can find emotional support from a comfort animal.
Provides a Healthy Distraction
Pets give children something to focus on that is positive versus the sometime negative thoughts swirling through their head. The magic of focused attention is that we can use it to help get over negative emotions like fear. We can redirect our attention towards something that relaxes us. Just petting or playing with a dog can give a child that healthy distraction they need to feel better. Pet Life can help you find all the products you need to keep your dog happy and healthy.
Boosts Positive Hormones
The simple act of petting a dog has been shown to release endorphins into our brain, which are powerful pain relievers and mood boosters. These are the same hormones that give us pleasure and that feeling of a natural “high.” Petting a dog also reduces cortisol, the hormone that is released in response to stressful situations. Dog owners are also less likely to be depressed, and in fact, have higher levels of serotonin and dopamine than non-dog owners.
Increases Social Interaction
Being social boosts happiness at all ages. Having a dog provides new ways to interact with more neighbors and friends. For example, when you go for a walk with your dog around the neighborhood, you will probably run into people to chat with. You can venture out with your kids to the park and see friends or make new ones. Dogs tend to also be a hot topic, so having a dog helps to initiate conversations with both those you know and those you want to know better.
Encourages More Exercise
We know how important exercise is for our physical and mental health. Having a dog to walk helps us get more exercise, which ultimately reduces stress. A study out of the University of Missouri showed that the best companion for a walk is your dog. The study showed that individuals who walked alone with a dog averaged 300 minutes a week of walking versus 168 minutes a week if they walked with family or friends. The study also found that those who walked a dog reached the recommended level of physical activity for their age group 50 percent more often when compared to those walking without a dog.
But what if you can’t or aren’t interested in owning your own dog? There are so many reasons why having a dog just isn’t possible: allergies, your partner or child doesn’t want one, your apartment or neighborhood doesn’t allow it, you travel too much, illness, financial constraints, etc. There are ways that you and/or your children can still enjoy time with dogs to feel happier and calmer. Here are some ideas:
- Volunteer to walk dogs at an animal shelter.
- Offer to walk the dog of an ill or elderly friend or neighbor.
- Participate in a therapy dog reading program at your local library.
- Partner up with a friend or relative who owns a dog to volunteer with the animal to do community service like therapy visits or participating in a dog-friendly charity walk, run, or other event.
- Offer to watch after a friend’s dog while they are out of town.
- Foster a rescued dog temporarily or volunteer with the rescue organization.
- See if your school will start an adopt-a-dog program or at least bring in a dog occasionally. Research shows that classroom pets provide significant benefits for children’s social, behavioral, and academic development.
Our fur babies are part of the family. They provide us with many of the benefits you’ve outlined here. Well done.
Great post!! Dogs are such amazing companions & are great stress relievers… That’s why I have 2! I can’t have, nice furniture anymore, but couldn’t imagine life without a dog by my side!
I love my 3 dogs! I couldn’t agree with this blog more.
Agree so much about emotional and social benefits of children having dogs. We have two dogs. The thing I don’t get, though, is how neither if our kids feed or walk the the hounds unless asked!!
I am not a mom yet but my plan is to first adopt a dog and then become a mommy to a child. I always thought that it was a good idea for the child and the dog to bond. Wasn’t really aware of all the benefits you mentioned. Now you have convinced me even more. Thank you for the info.
Totally agree with the post! We adopted a dog 6 months ago and we have felt is so more happiness and love. We plan to have kids in the future and can’t wait to see how they interact together.
I love this post! I am so happy my daughter is growing up with a family dog. My Siberian Husky is her best friend, helps cheer her up when she is upset, entertains her for hours, and snuggles her while watching tv/sleeping. I am so happy she is experiencing the love of a dog!
Great post with some great insights. Thanks for highlighting all these points and providing the list for who can’t have a dog. Dogs really bring more happiness.
I don’t have kids, but I can attest to the emotional benefits of my dog. She brightens my day!
We live with my mom and my daughter. My daughter has always loved my mom’s gigantic dog. He’s a gentle giant and my daughter loves helping take care of him. I think being so comfortable with him helps her social interactions when we’re out and see other people with their dogs, even when ours isn’t with us. My daughter starts up conversations with others when she sees them out walking their dogs and I don’t think she’d be as comfortable doing that without having a dog at home.
I can attest to this!! My dog and toddler get along great and they love each other deeply!
I am not a dog person either but the pressure from my husband and kids made me reconsider and six years ago we bought a Norwich terrier. We all love him and he made us appreciate every time when we are together, I have never regret that decision since.
This is great! We have a dog and it is so beneficial for my kids! I would also add that it benefits their (and our) microbiomes. Dogs go out and bring in microbes into the home that help your immune system stay trained up and some that are beneficials.
I grew up with dogs and they were a big part of my family. Now that I have young children I see the daily joy my children have when spending time with our dog.
Loved your informative article and I think that for some people a dog is an invaluable companion.
As a dog person (like a serious dog person who has a degree in vet tech and always has 3-6 rescues at a time), I can fully attest to the benefits that dogs have on people! There’s a great new book called Dog is Love that delves into the science behind a dog’s endless capacity to love. It’s very interesting! You will have to check it out if you have time! 🙂
Thanks for the tip!
I love this post and having been wanting to get a pet for a while.
As I have gotten older I am so amazed at how much having a pet had filled such a void in my life. I love my small dogs and there is nothing NO MORE comforting to me than snuggling up with my fur babies and binging Netlfix (and my goal is Netflix Moderation this year!)
This is great! As a veterinary professional I totally agree with the huge impact a pet can have on a family in such a positive way. Thanks so much for this!
I’m not a dog person myself, but I know how happy they make their owners. So, I’m not surprised by this data. This post might just be the tipping point for some families who are considering getting a dog.
Thanks for the read! Dogs bring joy to the family and being a person who wasn’t raised with dogs during my childhood, I truly feel that they can fill a gap when accompanied from a young age & I plan to do that with my children someday.
Having pets is amazing for both kids and adults! I love the responsibility that my kids (6 and 7) show toward their dog and their cats. Great for building confidence in themselves and it never hurts to be around beings that love you unconditionally. 🙂
We got a dog when my son was a year and he loves ‘his’ dog. They play together ALL the time and it’s helped him understand responsibility at an early age. He helps to feed him, make sure his water bowl is full, take him outside and walk him.
I’m on board with all of this information — I have seen many of these things first hand in our house with my dog and kiddos. As our dog ages, we’ve had many conversations preparing our girls that their companion won’t live forever — so hard, but I’m glad they’re old enough to understand. Great post!!
It’s amazing how much happiness a dog can bring, I lost my dog a couple of years ago and I’m so ready to welcome a new friend into my life xo
Aha I wish this post was around for the years it took me to convince my parents to get me a dog! Honestly you’ve made some great points though and my dog has helped me so much x
I had a dog ( actually 3 dogs ) when I was a kid, I remember how comforting it was to have them by my side. I never felt alone 🙂
Thank you for sharing!! A great reading in deed.
Dogs are so friendly and easy to look after. These are great facts about what they do for humans and their wellbeing.