I bet every time you and your child walk by a pet store and see an adorable puppy in that window, your kid says, “Mom, can we pleeeeease get a dog?!?!? I promise I’ll take care of it!” The idea of having a cute little adorable pet running around the house captures your heart until the reality of poop-scooping, pet stains in the new carpet and middle-of-the-night walks sets in.

However, opening up your child’s world to owning a pet has more advantages than it does downfalls. There is definitely a reason animals were put on this earth. Pets not only keep their owners company, but they also increase their owner’s general health and well-being. Studies have shown that loving a puppy or kitty increases serotonin and dopamine levels in the bloodstream, creating feelings of happiness and pleasure.

Stress, even in a child, can increase production of cortisol and norepinephrine which are harmful to the human immune system and cause chronic illnesses. Just loving on your puppy or kitty will lower your heart rate and produce a calming affect that will be enjoyed by both you and your pet.

Worried about allergies or asthma? There are an increased amount of tests being conducted with the end results showing that children who grow up in households with puppies or kitties will lessen their risk to allergies and/or asthma. Simply being around the animal strengthens the immune system and trains the body to adapt to the particles in the air. Imagine that, owning a puppy or kitty will actually build up your child’s immune system!

Of course there are several advantageous affects a pet can have on a child’s disposition and overall mental well-being. In addition to fighting stress, puppies and kitties provide an unconditional love and acceptance of their owners.

A child who has a bad day at school or has done poorly on a test can come home knowing their pet will not judge him or her and will not criticize him. With the dopamine and serotonin levels increased by the animal, the chances of your child falling into a depression is also lessened.

By owning a pet, your child will also learn how to nurture and empathize with others. Tests have shown that children who own pets grow up into nurturing adults. The responsibility of recognizing the needs of others beyond him or herself will help your child learn how to become a caring individual.

The positive reinforcement gained through taking care of a pet will also lead to high self-esteem levels. You probably know that children love to do adult tasks because it makes them feel more competent.

By learning the responsibilites of caring for a puppy or kitty, your child will feel good about himself and be proud of his accomplishments. Helping your child learn the importance of relationships and self-starting behavior will prove invaluable as your child grows up. Bringing some puppy or kitty love into your house will not only give an animal a loving place to live and thrive, but will also give your child some wonderful life experiences to cherish as well as a loving friend to grow and play with.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 at 8:15 am and is filed under Newsletter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.