Some parents might be afraid to get a dog after having a baby, but they should know how beneficial having a wonderful furry pet at home can be for their child’s development and physical health. Dogs are not just fantastic companions and protectors for a kid but they can also show your child many skills early on and boost their immune system. Therefore, it’s time to consider getting a pet, and with the proper training as well as research, you won’t have anything to worry about.
Dogs Help Develop Social and Emotional Connections
For many dog owners, just seeing the wag of their dog’s tail can be calming after a long, stressful day. That’s because pets can affect your life positively, contributing to your mental and physical health. The same thing happens with babies and growing children.
A close relationship with a dog can help a child’s self-esteem and make them braver. However, you must always be attentive and show your child how pets should be treated. By age five, a child has developed the ability to reason, so don’t think they can’t handle structure or understand a dog’s boundaries. They can do it, and it’s best to start teaching them as soon as possible.
Another benefit of growing up with a dog is that your child will feel less anxious and stressed when they play with it. Kids will also learn about caring for their animals, which helps their nurturing instinct grow. They can also understand the concept of trust if they have a furry companion. Caring for others is a beautiful value to learn early.
As your child grows, you can give them more responsibilities around your pet, such as feeding time. On average, you need to split a dog’s feeding schedule between two to three times a day, and showing your child what to do will help them learn responsibility and improve their movements.
Playing With Dogs Helps Develop Motor Skills
As mentioned before, a child can develop their motor skills better if they have to put a cup of kibble on their dog’s plate. However, there’s more because they’ll have to crawl or run while playing. Dogs encourage kids to move constantly, and that kind of enrichment is hard to find in the early years of their life when they can’t go to the park or be around other kids. Most toddlers take 176 steps a minute, but that number can increase with the help of a dog!
Remember that health is more than just avoiding diseases, allergies, etc. However, dogs can also help your babies prevent such problems in the future.
Dogs Can Help Their Immune System
Exposing your kids to dogs’ fur and saliva can be beneficial, especially when your baby is still young. Their immune system will get a boost, which prevents young children from getting allergies in the future.
A study in Finland determined that dogs can also be advantageous for a child’s respiratory system. Children who grow up with dogs are less likely to have colds, coughs, and ear infections later in life than those who grew up without pets. Furthermore, they’re 13% less likely to get asthma.
Parents usually hesitate because dogs bring dirt and germs to the house, but this helps a child develop their microbiome and keeps them healthy. Another study showed that petting a dog can increase immunoglobulin, a pivotal element in fighting against diseases.
It’s time to eliminate preconceived notions and protect your child from all possible germs because that might be even more detrimental to their health. You need to create a safe environment for your kid and dog. You should also learn about each breed’s behavior, trim nails properly, get them trained, and ensure your child knows how to be gentle.
