10 WAYS DOGS ENRICH A CHILD’S LIFE

10 Ways Dogs Enrich a Child’s Life ​It’s estimated that 40% of children are born into families with pets, and as many as 90% will live with a pet sometime during their childhood. Everyone knows that kids love animals. With just a quick tour through your child’s toy box and bookshelf, you’ll see dogs in books, on sweaters, in DVDs and in playsets. Children raised with pets are more likely to love animals — and that’s no surprise. Dogs large and small teach kids responsibility, empathy and compassion. Not only can growing up with a dog boost emotional and mental health, but it can give kids a great start for physical health as well.  Here are 10 reasons why it’s so meaningful to raise your children around dogs:1) Dogs teach kids empathyYour child will learn to identify the pet’s needs and, eventually, put them first. A dog needing to go out, be fed or get a scratch behind the ear becomes more important than a video game, sleeping in or texting. 2) Playing with dogs improves children’s health Kids who play with dogs, take them for walks, and share their fun at the park show signs of lower blood pressure, have a lower risk of developing allergies and have a speedier recovery time from illnesses. 3) Pets boost self-esteem and impulse controlEven managing simple tasks like filling a food or water dish can help a child feel a sense of accomplishment in their ability to care for others. Kids who are struggling with impulse control learn to schedule and plan ahead. 4) Dogs teach social skillsIn a world where most people are categorized due to gender, race and other labels, living with a dog allows kids to transcend those stereotypes and become open and loving to others. Dogs can help kids make friends, learn how to be a friend, and experience the joy of unconditional love. 5) Reading to dogs improves verbal skillsKids who have a hard time or lack of confidence reading in front of a classroom might be able to develop those skills in a comforting way by reading to their non-judgmental, four-legged friend. 6) Dogs teach the importance of safetyKids, like dogs, have to be taught to be cautious of traffic or not to eat things they find on the ground. You can enhance these skills by teaching kids how to build a dog house to keep their pet warm or install a wireless fence to keep the dog safe even if you don’t have a physical fence to protect them. 7) Children learn to nurture others by caring for a dogTaking care of a dog is a universal skill. You don’t have to be a certain gender or in specific physical shape to care for an animal. This helps break through labels and stereotypes. 8) Dogs teach healthy ways to deal with angerWatching over a dog can sometimes be as frustrating as caring for a child. When kids look after animals, they learn how to deal with anger and frustration in healthy ways, without taking their emotions out on others. 9) Siblings with a pet experience less rivalryHaving a dog around the house gives your children something to bond over, which can strengthen their relationship. 10) Dogs reduce stress and anxiety Nearly 25 percent of children and teens experience some form of extreme stress and anxiety. Dogs helps reduce these strong negative emotions by providing comfort, distraction and compassion during a time when kids might be inclined to feel alone and isolated. These are just a few reasons growing up with a dog can be a huge benefit to the health and development of your child. It’s important to make sure that you are fully prepared — whether that’s bringing a child home to a dog or vice versa. You’ll want to make sure you do everything you can to help your dog and your children adjust to the change. Make sure the kids know to respect a dog’s space, read their body language and understand their responsibilities.