Growing Up With a Dog Can Improve Kids’ Behavior (4 Positive Changes)

2 years ago

Spending our formative years with a 4-legged friend can be so much fun and entertaining. However, there is more to having dogs than them just being adorable and cuddly. Science has proven that growing up with a furry pet has actual benefits for little ones and can play a major role in improving their lifestyle on various levels as well as putting them on the right track early on.

At Bright Side, we believe that a dog can change a kid’s life for the better. Therefore, we want to share the different reasons, according to science, that owning a dog from a tender age is such a great idea.

Dogs positively influence a child’s manners, personality, and social conduct.

According to a study on 1,646 families with kids aged between 2 and 5, there were 30% fewer behavioral problems for kids who grew up with a 4-legged friend. These children behaved better and had fewer tendencies toward fighting, throwing tantrums, and being disobedient.

Moreover, the same study found that these children manifested a 40% improvement when it came to social interaction with their peers compared to those coming from households that had no dogs. In other words, these children were more comfortable socializing and making friends as well as less likely to get bullied.

This can be explained by the fact that, according to this study, growing up with a dog plays a major role in shaping a child’s personality at an early stage. It helps the development of valuable personality traits that are important and much appreciated in social settings. For example, these kids tend to be affectionate, considerate of other’s feelings, and more open to sharing.

The positive influence of the canine increases with the amount of time spent interacting with it.

The research suggests that the more that little ones interact with their furry companions, the stronger these qualities get manifested in their personality. According to the results obtained by the research team, children who participated in walking a dog at least once a week showed a 45% increase in prosocial behaviors, and those who engaged in activities with their dog a minimum of 3 times per week had 74% more positive conduct compared to kids who didn’t have a canine at home.

Interacting with a dog improves concentration and attention span.

The positive impact a pet dog has on a child doesn’t stop at personality development. According to another study, being around a canine enhances the neuropsychological capacities of children. During the experiment, 24 children between the ages of 10 and 14 were given a memory test to complete right after interacting with a dog for 15 minutes. The results showed that there was a considerable improvement in their ability to focus and become highly attentive.

Dogs motivate children to become active and engage in physical activities.

According to another study, dogs play an important role in motivating children to exercise and engage in physical activities. The experiment, which focused on obese children, has concluded that with the presence of a dog, kids were more interested in becoming active and spending time outdoors. The presence of a dog didn’t just influence the frequency of children’s physical activity, but also the quality. When accompanied by a dog, these kids walked faster and engaged in their athletic activity for a longer period of time.