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There's no doubt that dogs can bring a whole lot of joy to a household. Our canine companions are loyal, caring, and offer unconditional love to every member of the family. Now, an interesting new study finds that a pet dog may also offer improved social and emotional well-being for children.
In a nutshell, the study concludes that young children living with at least one dog at home display far stronger
emotional and social development than kids with no pups at home.
The research, conducted at the University of Western Australia in collaboration with the Telethon Kids Institute, includes 1,646 households (42%, or 686, of which own a dog) with at least one child between the ages of two and five. Each family was given a questionnaire to fill out.
Best friends with benefitsTo start, a number of additional factors were considered for each child, including age, gender, sleep routine, parents' education, and usual
daily screen time.
Using this data, researchers say that kids with a pet dog were 23% less likely to have problems with their emotions or social interactions with others than children with no dog at home.
Kids from a dog-owning household were also 30% less likely to act in an anti-social manner and 40% less likely to have trouble hanging out with other kids. Children with dogs are also 34% more likely to be considerate toward others (sharing, politeness)."While we expected that dog ownership would provide some benefits for young children's wellbeing, we were surprised that the mere presence of a family dog was associated with many positive behaviors and emotions," says corresponding author & associate professor Hayley Christian in a
release.
Spending time with their dog appears to strengthen these benefits for children. Kids who reported going for a family dog walk at least once per week were determined to be 36% less likely to have below average emotional or social development in comparison to kids who rarely went for walks with their dog. Moreover, kids who said they play with their pet dog at least three times per week were 74% more likely to be considerate toward others."Our findings indicate that dog ownership may benefit children's development and well-being and we speculate that this could be attributed to
the attachment between children and their dogs. Stronger attachments between children and their pets may be reflected in the amount of time spent playing and walking together and this may promote social and emotional development," professor Christian adds.
This study was observational, so for now at least, the study's authors say they are unable to give an explanation for these findings. They believe future research should focus on if similar effects are seen among different types of pets.
The
study is published in
Pediatric Research.
Reader Comments
I was sold after reading a fellow Christian stated as such haha
RC
PS, ("Where's that confounded bridge?" Is from Led Zepplin, Houses of the Holy album. (The HOH song ain't on the HOH album! - rather, it's on Physical Graffiti.)
RC
Galveston, Glen Campbell [Link]
(RIP all.)
RC
Didn't know that James Taylor did it. [Link]
*I guess I have trouble seeing you with a 'Buffy'. (Me too.) (And I'm talking our generations' 'Buffy' - some spoiled rich W.A.S.P from CT, NY.)
But, a night with this generations' 'Buffy', (what jumps to mind [Link] ) well that's a different thing entirely.
R.C.
The blonde in the link is okay...I prefer my women to be a little more on the Rubenesque side
Critters/pets have a modern IQ of a human 4-5 year old (max) and are just as unlikely to learn about all of the modern dangers outside.
Indeed, a spectacular cat (I was gonna say 'The Most Spectacular Cat' but my cat started looking at me ) I ever had was gifted to me with the express proviso that she always be an indoor cat. I and she lived with that quite well.
I ain't gonna feel like a slavemaster for enforcing that.
R.C.
P.s., This little street urchin cat is such a tough survivor - she's my good little cat. (I"ve had three cats. each was about half the size of the previous: 23 lbs, 3"2' long; 13 lbs.' 6 lbs.
RC
๐งโโ๏ธ
๐๐๐๐๐๐
My third (and last) husband and I had a cat for about 14 years and on her dying day she wandered around aimlessly. Then I settled her wrapped in a jumper on the front doorstep why she liked to lie in the sun and felt she may not last the night. When husband came home he could not her be; he had to take her to the vet to be put down. I said to him โthat is euthanasia; are you going to do that to me too?โ
They moved it away from the wall, and not quite as far back. My 'spectacular' cat (a Maine Coon) fell into it the new gap before I noticed it - I only learned about their B&E from this event - and she broke her neck and died in my arms.
They still walk the earth.
R.C.
Do you know why the B and E? And do you know who?
What is the 'law of attraction' aspect here? Didn't feel like God, had a damn thing to do with it! Nothing 'clever' about it, rather it was Pure EVIL!
But this little discussion has helped to awaken some anger I should not have lost. As I trust that those selfsame sorry SOBs are monitoring this, I hope this tiny resurgence of anger gives them at least a chill of fear; it should.*
R.C.
*Super sad that I, the most logical and reality-aware person I've met (since my Mum) should have to say this, but I am NOT exaggerating, etc.The above is true. I'd bet my life against a penny on it, and as I've been kjnown to say, when we're in the next beyond, provided that we can communicate and have a greater awareness of truth there, I'll say "I told you!"
RC
2) Sometime after I first showed up here. (She was about 9 years old and super healthy and smart. See the AB.)
Done with this - too heartbreaking.
I must retain this.
RC
She was beyond both beautiful and phenomenal and I know that she was in the top 1/10th of 1% of all cats in smarts. Amazing stories. See the AB, hopefully, provided the doesn't get me first.
RC
If RC were a cat..... [Link]
R.C.
Team of Honey Badgers escaping together.
[Link]
Amazing thanks RC!!
Badgers have been seen jumping like fox while helping the fox hunt in the wild of course.
Jolie too RC (Jolie i picked up on that force in you from your past n from your groundroot healing capacities - remember me asking you about certain numbers?) ... Dachs-Hund ... the Badger Hound, number 29.
SOTT Focus:The Future is 'Clear', And It's Dystopian: Virus Hype Ushers in a Covid-1984 Nightmare of Restricted Access
Clear's new Health Pass and other 'Covid hi-tech innovations' are a stark warning of how the globalist 'New Normal' being mapped out will operate. Access to travel, sport & restaurants may be...โDonโt ever underestimate Mother Natureโ
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