9 Wonderful Ways Having A Dog Is Great For Children

In Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, schoolboy Ronnie tells the story of his grandfather’s dog. He describes Hachi as his hero and wins over his class with the tale of Hachi’s extraordinary loyalty and dedication.

Kids and dogs are a great match. They are innocent, open and wholehearted in their love and verve for life. They know a kindred spirit when they see one!

My own childhood dog was named Hush Puppy. He was a little escape artist of unknown breed. The precocious pup looked like a black and white, long-haired dachshund terrier. He was a lot of fun and quickly became my best friend. I was a shy child, so he helped to bring me out of my shell. Sadly, one day he escaped our yard… never to return.

I still think of Hush Puppy all these years later.

[bctt tweet=”The bond we form with our childhood dog is precious and we remember forever with deep emotion.”]

Dogs act as a child’s friend, protector, confidante and fellow mischief-maker. It’s a beautiful bond. Let’s take a look at 9 wonderful ways having a dog is great for children…

1. Friendship and Support

Kids can really thrive with canine companionship. A dog and child can become best friends and dogs exhibit such amazing values… love, loyalty, joy and pure emotion.

Dogs can play a beautiful role as a support animal or therapy for children with illnesses, disabilities, or who have gone through trauma.

Autistic children, and later adults, benefit from a gentle, patient dog as a pet. Dogs can help them get used to sensory inputs. They can act as a calming influence, so the child doesn’t get overwhelmed. It’s a perfect way for autistic kids to learn to relate to another being and personality. In addition, building a bond can improve their social skills areas for later on.

2. Preventing Illness and Allergies

One theory about why allergies are getting more common in kids is that our homes are actually too clean! Exposure to dirt and dust builds up the immune system and make it stronger.

The health benefits and preventative effects of having a dog are huge. Babies with dogs get fewer colds, suffer from less respiratory tract infections, have fewer allergies, fewer ear infections and need fewer antibiotics prescribed.

3. Importance of Responsibility

A big reason you might not be keen on getting a dog for your kids is the added work involved. You imagine who will be taking on the cleaning, feeding, walking and other chores… you! But caring for dogs is a really great introduction to responsibility for your kids. They love their pup and will want to help take care of it.

Delegating responsibility is an easy chore that children can see the direct result of. Unlike cleaning their room, they are more interested in making sure their friend always has fresh water. They will learn that – come rain or shine – they have to take their dog out for a walk or to the park.

These are valuable lessons in responsibility, grit, patience, and perseverance that will benefit them throughout their lives. Their motivation will be their love for their furry friend, who will repay them in spades.

4. Enjoying Exercise

Our society’s sedentary lifestyle is taking its toll on our kids. And one way to make sure children get more exercise is with a dog. Walking a dog, playing with it at home, in the yard or park, going on adventures together… it gets kids moving in a fun way. They won’t see it as “exercise” either. Just fun!

You could make it more of a challenge and sign your child and dog up to agility classes, flyball, frisbee or other more energetic exercise for all.

5. Keeping Kids Safe

As we can see from the tale of Hachiko, there is no end to a dog’s love and loyalty. There are lots of tales of dogs performing great feats out of love for their humans. Recently in Australia, a 3-year-old family member wandered off and got lost on her family property. A seventeen-year-old partially deaf and blind dog called Max stayed by the side. He protected the toddler all night in the rain and the falling temperatures.

When searchers got close the next morning… Max led them to the toddler. For being such a good boy, Max was made an honorary member of the local police department.

Dogs quickly come to recognize their new family unit, or pack. They can protect children from threats or summon help – it’s not just something that happens in the movies!

6. Playful Fun for All

Kids love a bit of rough and tumble – and so do dogs! We live in an age where children spend many hours glued to their screens. So it’s especially important for them to take a break and dogs encourage that.

Even better than a video game, unstructured free play gets children’s imaginations working in different ways. It allows their creativity to come out. The family dog can be a great participant in these games, especially if they are willing to wear a crown and be invited to a tea party, or don a cape to explore the backyard. Dogs are good sports, as we all know!

7. Caring and Compassionate Example

Through interacting with a dog even very small children can learn care and compassion. They have to learn to be respectful of what might upset a dog – like not pulling its tail. This helps them better understand other people’s boundaries too. It’s one way to promote socialization and learn to be gentle and considerate.

Having a beloved pet also gives children an insight into the life of other animals and can begin a lifelong affinity. They learn to be more respectful of the natural world and care about the plight of other animals.

8. Boosting Social Development

This year’s winner of Scruffts – the crossbreed version of the famous Crufts competition was Jack, a Shih Tzu/Maltese cross whose sixteen-year-old owner and handler, Josie, credited him with helping her overcome her shyness. By taking him to obedience classes and dog shows she gained the confidence to talk to other people.

Being a teenager isn’t easy but a loyal dog is a friend for life. There’s nothing like a loyal pup to can help young people develop confidence and the social skills they need. They might meet people from different walks of life or discover a new passion that can become a career.

I remember how Hush Puppy helped me overcome my childhood shyness and was such a comfort to me. Even today, it warms my heart to think of my beautiful relationship with my best friend!

9. Education

The Kennel Club has a Bark and Read Foundation, which takes dogs into schools so children can read to them. Why? The specially trained dogs are a calming, comforting presence, even for children they have only just met. Kids who struggle with their reading gain valuable practice. They learn to not feel embarrassed or ashamed of making mistakes.

Teaching a dog new tricks helps kids learn about learning – a valuable but often overlooked skill. Figuring out motivation, rewards, practice, and patience when training a dog helps children understand those things about themselves too.

The list of all the wonderful ways having a dog is great for children could just go on and on!

Did you have a dog when you were a child? What other ways do you think having a dog is great for children? Share your special memories in the comments below.