Scientists Believe Dogs May Be Good For Children's Psychological Development

Scientists Believe Dogs May Be Good For Children's Psychological Development

Man’s best friend has provided us with many benefits we experience every day. They are our companions when we need comfort, our exercise buddies when we want to go for a safe run, and our loyal protectors when we are home alone.

There are also benefits that we might not be so aware of, proving to us (once again!) that our precious pooches do more for us then we might realize! A recent study done by Australian scientists looked at the impact of dogs on children. Scientists looked at a range of different factors in a group of children’s lives (from ranging demographics, siblings, sleep patterns, screen time, etc.) and the influence that having a dog had. They looked at the amount of playtime children had with their dogs and used a social and emotional scale to determine the various impacts.

The results were spectacular! Scientists revealed that children who had a dog to play with were in fact almost 30 percent less likely to have conduct and behavioral problems, 40 percent less likely to have difficulty relating to or fitting in with peers, and a whopping 34 percent more likely to display positive social behaviors. In summary, having a dog in early life may be beneficial to a child’s psychological development.

Scientists do still highlight the importance of making rational decisions and urge citizens to not go out and buy a dog if they do not have the means to care for it, or do not genuinely want it! Although the correlation between the dog and child looks positive, one cannot say for sure if it is always going to be true. Either way, man’s best friend will always prove to us that they are an important aspect of our lives at any age!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay

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