All dog lovers will tell you how caring, kind and loving their dog is and how their dog is not just a pet but another part of their family and one of their best friends. You’ll end up loving them, being excited to see them when you come home from work and will find yourself wanting to buy them Christmas or birthday presents as you do with your children and friends.
Spending time with your furry friend is also very beneficial to your mental and physical wellbeing. You’ll find yourself out on dog walks meeting new people, as well as losing weight as you go out and exercise with your canine companion. Dogs are also really beneficial to helping your children grow up and learn about caring for one another. Below we have put together a guide on nine reasons a dog can help your children.
Getting Your Children Active
By owning a dog you’ll almost certainly be out most days with it, taking them on walks along the beach, around the parks or just around the block when you haven’t got time to venture out further. This is the perfect excuse to get your children out with you and exercising without them knowing what you are trying to encourage. Often children will be more likely to go out as they want to spend time with their dog, and will really enjoy running around the field playing and having fun. You’ll often find them playing with the dog at home getting more active than they would if they didn’t have one. From an adults point of view, spending an hour playing with a dog can burn around 205 calories an hour. It’s surprising how tiring it is just playing with your dog in your living room, let along when going for a long walk.
Learning Responsibilities
Don’t get me wrong, with all the fun in the world, dogs still bring plenty of responsibilities with them. Not only do you need to walk them regularly, but they need to be fed, cleaned, watered and taken to the vets if needed. By owning a dog this is a great way to teach your children about responsibilities and get them to help you along the way. Whenever you are doing anything that is helping the dog, let your children know why and the importance of it. You can teach them by letting them do it themselves a day a week with you if they are younger or on their own if they are older. The more time your children spend with your dog, the more they will ask questions and learn to empathize with him or her.
Another Family Member
If you have one child, sometimes being on their own can be difficult causing them to play up and need your attention as a parent more than if they had a brother or sister. By owning a dog, it can fill that void. For many, a dog becomes another family member and for your children, they become a brother or sister-like figure to them. They can spend time together playing around, bonding and are a great source of comfort to your child. If your children are going through a different period, they can always turn to their pet and they will help relieve the stress and make them feel better.
Dogs Help Improve Social Skills
If you ask any dog lover what it’s like when they go on a walk they will let you know it is very sociable. On a daily basis, you and your children will be going on walks around your local area when your dog needs its exercise. When going on a walk you’ll regularly bump into other dog walkers who will likely stop and chat. Not only is it easier to communicate with them as you have a common interest but if they have children, your children can get to know them and be more sociable. Before you know it they will become friends and your children will want you to go out on a walk so they can see their new friend while walking the dog.
New Things To Do On The Weekend
Do you get stuck for things to do during the weekend? You are not alone, many people do. Luckily, owning a dog is one way to keep you busy and have you doing new things with your children. When the weekend comes around you can go out and visit dog-friendly places with your children. If you have a beach near you, go out and explore it. Maybe you have a forest trail nearby that you can explore or there is a dog-friendly pub you can visit. Owning a dog can also make it easier to get your children out of the house and doing something as they want to spend time with their furry friend as well. No longer will they sulk when you suggest going on a long walk. If you have made some friends from your dog walks around the neighborhood, you could always invite them along as well. If they have children, your children may like the company over the weekend as well.
Offer Protection To Your Home
By owning a dog it has been proven that they offer protection at your home and reduce the chances of someone trying to break into your property. Dogs are great at alerting you when something unusual is happening like someone new in your home that you may not want there. Dogs will look after your children and give you that extra layer of security and peace of mind that your home is safe from any unwanted attention. Not only will this mean your children can feel safe and protected but it will also mean you feel safer and happier knowing that your children are safe.
Dogs Improve Your Households Mood
Have you ever looked at a dog and still feel sad after a bad day at work? It’s almost impossible, after all, they are always full of love and energy to see you. Dogs are great at cheering up the mood in the family whether it’s your children or you. Most dogs will always be happy to see you and want attention as soon as you come into the room, breaking any tension and taking your mind off any stress that you did have at that moment. It’s also been proven that dogs help reduce depression and other mental health illnesses.
More Time Spent Outdoors
With technology being at the forefront of most people’s minds, now more than ever you find children glued to their screens and not spending much time outside exploring the world. Whether you are going on daily walks to the beach, or evening walks around your neighborhood, owning a dog can help get your children outside more and spending less time on their screens. Not only that but you may find your children wanting to go for walks and asking you to take the dog out so they can spend time with them. If you have a garden you may also find your children wanting to take the dog toys outside to play with him or her in the yard.
Dogs Teach Selflessness
Some children can become a little selfish as they grow up, more so if they are an only child. By introducing a dog into the family, children can quickly learn that they are not the only one and become less selfish. As a child, they will learn new responsibilities and see that they have to take care of others as well as themselves. Most children will love this and love having the company of a dog around the house. You may also find that he or she helps build your child confidence and helps them grow up.
Overall owning a dog brings many benefits to not only yourself but your children. From spending more time outside to finding new things to do on the weekend, your furry friend will keep you active and bring you hours of entertainment. Not only that but they will also help mature your children and help them become a better version of themselves.
One of the most exciting things about getting a dog is that there are a whole plethora of breeds. Each dog is different offering its own personality and characteristics making it an exciting time when deciding which one to introduce to your family. A particular popular breed is a labrador retriever due to their many benefits. (You can read more now). However, make sure you don’t rush into getting a dog. Take your time and ask yourself some key questions before committing as a dog does bring a lot of responsibility with it and will change your life in a positive but different way.
Do you own a dog? What type of dog do you own and did you find it helped your children? What other benefits did you find from owning a dog? Let me know in the comment box below, I would love to hear from you.
