THE ADVANTAGES OF DOG-OWNING CHILDREN

A dog confers many instant advantages on a child. Dogs are attractive
to most children, so a child who has a dog becomes more attractive
by association. In the often-cruel world of childhood, such an icebreaker
can be invaluable. Those active in the realm of the physically
challenged know well that while a child in a wheelchair may seem
“different,” unapproachable and even slightly scary, a child in a wheelchair
with a canine companion is seen by other kids as a sort of different
kid who has a dog. The possibilities for social interaction
increase, so much so that some dogs who accompany such children
are not service dogs in the usual sense—they don’t pick up dropped
items or pull the wheelchair from place to place. They’re social facilitator
dogs, there simply to make the “different” child more socially
acceptable to his or her peers.
This phenomenon isn’t confined to the disabled. Children in general
with dogs in the home tend to have more visits from classmates
and to be more popular. In fact, some classrooms have taken to keeping
a canine mascot in the room, often the teacher’s own dog. One
study found that when a pet was part of the class setting, self-esteem
scores increased significantly over one school year. Even more encouragingly,
those children who initially had the lowest scores showed the
most substantial improvement.
A dog also offers a kind and nonjudgmental ear that’s always
available to listen to problems and heartaches, and a warm furry body
to snuggle up to. The advantages conferred on a child by a dog not
only help make the turbulent years of youth more pleasant, but last
well into adulthoood. Remember the Fortune 500 CEOs I mentioned
in the last chapter? They credit their childhood pets with teaching them the responsibility and discipline required in their highpowered
adult lives. A measure of their self-confidence probably
derived from their pets as well. Nearly all of them continue to be dog
owners in their adult lives.
In fact, the benefits of pet ownership extend to the entire family.
A survey found that 70 percent of pet-owning families reported an
increased sense of fun and even greater happiness as a direct result of
getting a pet. Interaction among family members increased, and both
adults and children felt that the pets were sensitive to their moods and
emotional well-being.
A dog rarely has anything more important to do than play with a
child. In this often hectic world, this can be a godsend, but it can also
be a problem, depending on the age and maturity of the child.
Remember those dog bite statistics. The vast majority result from
family or neighborhood pets, not from strange dogs roaming loose.