There are many reasons why dogs are great for kids. Some scientific, some anecdotal, and some just downright cute. Growing up as children with dogs, Riley and I wouldn't have it any other way, but it's not just us. Here are our top 9 reasons why every child should grow up with a dog!
Source: Pinerest
If for no other reason than pure enjoyment, dogs are fun to have around the house, especially for children.
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This might be true as an adult as well, but as a kid, sometimes you just want somebody to listen to you. Nobody is a better listener than your dog. As a bonus, dog's make great reading buddies.
Source: Pinterest
Somehow dogs just know when you're hurt. Maybe you have a boo boo, or maybe you didn't do well in art class. Either way, they know not to play rough with you.
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Most kids, or at least the ones I knew, didn't want to be outdoors too much. This all changed if it meant going for a ramble with Dolly, our family dog growing up. The same is true or children today. They may not want to go for a family hike, but they'll probably go for a family dog walk. Especially if they get the leash!
There have been numerous studies that show a child who grows up in a dog friendly house is less likely to have asthma and allergies. People with pets also tend to go to the doctor less often.
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Compassion, responsibility, boundaries, socialization. All of these are important for kids, and they can all be taught by a dog.
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Growing up, the thing that I, like many children wanted was to be treated like an adult. A big part of that is having responsibilities. Maybe it's letting the dogs out at night, cleaning up the backyard or feeding them, regardless of the task, having a dog makes children feel a part of the back, and gives them a job.
Source: Pinterst
I'm sure we would all love to go back and be kids again, but we often forget how stressful it can be to be a kid. Dogs, and pets in general, help to relieve this stress for children.
Source: Distractify/Dogvacay
Siblings don't always get along, but one thing is for sure. Siblings with dogs bond over shared responsibilities and even just as a common playmate.
Did you grow up with a dog?
One of the best things about being an independent company, is we don't have shareholders or investors who we need to do everything for. While most companies will publish a letter to their shareholders we decided to do a letter to our most important stakeholders, our customers.
Here is our reflection on 2017, and a look where we want to go in 2018.