Teaching Children to Love Pets

My mailbox is a long way from my house, at the bottom of a steep hill.  It seems like nothing good comes in the mail anyway (bills, ads, junk) so I don’t bother to get the mail very often.  Today I was SO excited to get something really wonderful in the mail! I got a large envelope (just an advertisement inside though)that came via two DOG STAMPS from the official “DOGS AT WORK” set issued by the U.S. Postal Service in January 2012!  

One is the Therapy Dog visiting an “elderly woman in her home.”  It’s a spaniel, looks like maybe a Brittney. The other is a black lab guide dog “assisting a woman who is blind” -  or at least her legs, that’s all you can see of her.  I can’t wait to show these to the family! In fact, I’ll go to USPS.com and print out the complete set so they can see all four stamps. They’re all 65c stamps – which demonstrates how valuable dogs are. (Happy Face!)

Even if your child can’t have a pet, you can show them how much you love, enjoy and value pets by sharing things like this with them. You come across pet things in your everyday life all the time! Lots of books, movies, magazines, and TV commercials feature dogs and cats. A lot of car commercials have dogs, insurance companies do too and of course pet food and treats need a pet.

We talk about the TV commercials with pets in them all the time. We pick our favorites, point out how a cat in one looks like our neighbor’s cat, remark on how smart the dog is that puts his bone in a safety deposit box at the bank  – and we also understand why he retrieves it later and buries it. Or, we just ooh and awww at how cute the pets are.

Children follow our lead. If we show them we love and respect animals they will too.  

Want to know which dogs are featured on the other 2 stamps in the “Dogs At Work” set?  http://1.usa.gov/Q5Mfwz

Reasons TO Have a Pet

This blog is all about the benefits that pets bring to children - and their families! So it was especially disheartening today to get a summary of a study done by the American Humane Assoc., and funded partially by Petsmart Charities, that surveyed people without pets on why they DON'T have a pet.

The top 3 reasons are: Lack of Time, Cost and projected Grief over a pet dying. I do understand lack of time, but pets relieve so much stress brought on by our constant self-talk that we are "so busy" - that it's often worth setting aside time for a pet to slow life down a bit. And since I've mentioned the word "pet" several times already, there are many benefits from petting your cat, dog, horse or even bird! De-stressing is at the top of that list. (Making you laugh is up there too!) Using time for an excuse - is really an excuse. There are just too many rewards and benefits of having a pet that outweigh giving up a little time. Check our earlier post for 21 Reasons Kids Should Have A Pet (and lots of single reasons since then!).

Cost IS a consideration but may I mention a couple things when considering the cost of adopting a pet or having a critter that isn't very expensive to start with. One is that if we adopt our pets from a shelter or rescue the cost of the pet itself is very affordable. The nutrition in today's pet food is so superior that animals can thrive whether you choose basic food or the super-duper premium. When it comes to pet accessories like food dishes, toys, collars, etc. there are all kinds of different offerings. Dollar stores have pet departments now.You can find an option that fits your budget.

When you're shopping for your pet they very seldom care about brand names. As fussy as cats are, I'm pretty sure they can't tell the difference between a collar with rhinestones or diamonds. Pet's don't spend a lot of time checking out themselves or their accessories in a mirror - well, that was hardly off the keys of this computer before I thought of my little blue parakeet, Cherry, who delighted in talking to her "friend" in the mirror, so scratch that statement. But what a nice memory it brought back of my chatty little parakeet!

Everything is relative. When we spend anywhere from $3.50 to $5 for a cup of coffee we should consider that the same amount of money might buy a gold fish or a box of cat food. Even if you have a horse you can figure ways to adjust your income to the expenses. Maybe we should think of the cost of a pet as a household expense rather than a reason not to have a pet.

Pet health care is another money matter. One to take very seriously. Pets do need health care and sometimes it can be expensive. Definitely check into pet health insurance when you adopt a pet. There are quite a few organizations that have low cost vaccinations, spaying or neutering. There are vets that charge different rates. There are online pet medication sites that save us money. There are vets that will take monthly payments if an emergency occurs. And, of course, they all take credit cards if that's your choice. The point is that there are options and you can plan ahead. Maybe stash $20 dollars a month into a fund for the annual check up.

Which brings us to not wanting to have a pet because it will die some day. Thinking back on my life with pets, two of the worst days of my life were days one of the dogs died. I've outlived all but two so far and yes, they all took part of my heart with them, but such fun, happy memories remain. We still talk about our past pets all the time. As a matter of fact, last Saturday we were telling someone about two of our dogs that have been gone about 8 years.

Rufus was our little blind schnauzer. My daughter agreed to take care of him for a cousin who picked him up for the Schnauzer Rescue. She had to leave town the very next day and would be gone for 2 weeks. Of course, we never gave him back. And, the day he died I made a complete fool of myself when rushing him to the local animal hospital. I tried to make a right hand turn (well I did make one) from the second lane. It was actually perfectly safe but the local cop was not amused. I begged him to put on his siren and escort me to the vet's hospital. I admit I was hysterical and as luck would have it, he couldn't leave fast enough. I was relieved - not because I got away without a ticket - because I was in a hurry! So yes, I understand that pet's don't live as long as we do and it's hard to part with them. But even that has it's benefits - for children especially. They usually first learn about life and death through some association with a pet. Many's the family funeral that I remember for goldfish, turtles, birds, cats and dogs. We learned to take care of our pets to keep them healthy. We learned to be respectful at funerals. We learned to pay tribute to our pets and talk about what good friends they were. My younger brother actually learned to play Taps on a trumpet - just for our pet funerals - and the rest of the neighborhood pets too. They came to our pet's last rites, we went to theirs. We chose special poems for the ceremony. Births, birthdays, anniversary's, graduations, weddings, funerals - they are the rituals of our life. We share them with our pets.

There are trade-offs for everything in life, but giving up the joy, comfort and companionship of a pet in lieu of time, money or emotional investment might mean it's time to evaluate life and see if maybe a pet would add a great deal to it.

Pet Help Autistic Children Best at Age 5

Bonding with A Pet Helps Autistic Children Learn to Share & Comfort Others

Today almost one child in 88 has been diagnosed with some form of Autism, which can cause communication, social and language problems. Studies just released from an Autism Resource Center in Brest, France say that when pets are introduced to Autistic children after age 5 the kids improved their ability to share and offer comfort. Kids who had pets in the family from the time they were born showed no improvement in sharing or comforting. The study is small and may present more questions that it answers, but any hope for helping Autistic children overcome their challenges is a good reason to consider having a pet.

Studies: Hospital Bohars, Brest, France

Dr. Marine Grandgeorge and Colleagues at the Autism Resource Center

Study: Changes in emotional development of children with pets (dogs,cats, bunny) when they were babies or when pet was introduced at age 4-5

Published in:  PLOS ONE.- August, 2012

Dogs Promote Exercise

Surprise! Dog Walkers Get More Exercise!

I had to laugh when I saw a study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health that concludes that “dog owners are 34% more likely than non-owners to get the exercise they need.”  Do you think it takes a “Study” to figure that out? Maybe it does if you don’t have a dog. It reminds me though, that dogs do provide a lot of exercise for kids as well as adults. While kids may not be the one “walking the dog” they often go with the dog walker. And there’s a lot of chasing and roughhousing with dogs. Kids love to throw sticks and balls for dogs to chase. They play hide and seek. I see them at the park teaching their dog to climb up the stairs to the slide, or going down the slide with a dog on their lap. Pets and kids are always on the move!

Dogs & Cats Make Babies Healthier

New Study Confirms Dogs & Cats Make Babies Healthier

It’s a new study, but it’s not a new conclusion. There are many studies that have found that exposing children to pet dander and other bacteria that they bring into the house from outdoors, somehow helps a baby’s immune system fight off allergens and viruses better than the immune system of children without pets in the home. This study says that “kids that grew up with dogs were 44% less apt to develop ear infections and 29% less likely to need antibiotics. Kids who lived with a dog were 31% healthier the first year than kids who didn’t live with a dog." Living with a cat didn’t fare quite as well but kids living with a cat were “6% more likely to be healthy” than those in a house without a cat. Works for me. Another reason that Kids Need Pets.

Study: Kuopio University Hospital, Finland, Dr. Eija Bergroth, Pediatrician

Finding: “Babies who grow up in homes with a pet are less likely to get sick than children who live pet-free.”

Published in the journal: Pediatrics - July 9, 2012

Study of:  397 children between 2002 -2005. 

Having A Pet Teaches Kids About Life and Death

Kids Learn About Birth, Life and Death from Pets

Children are fascinated by baby animals at an early age because of their size, their warm body, their 4 legs, the way they "talk," they can see and feel it breathe and feel the heartbeat. Kids learn pets are "alive" - like they are. Sometimes parents expose their kids to the birth process through animals. 

Kids also sometimes learn their first lesson on death from the loss of a beloved pet. Losing a pet hurts and we go through the same stages of grief when we lose a pet as we do when we lose a good friend or relative. Guilt, denial, anger and depression are natural responses. Talk about it, write about it, maybe put together a photo album about the pet. Tell your kids how you are going to respectively take care of the remains and make sure they understand. Pets give us the opportunity to talk about birth, life and death and hopefully teach our kids about them. Picture from FanPop.com

Benefits of Having A Pet

"Only Children" Bond With Their Pets

Companionship and love are at the top of the list of benefits that pets bring to homes with one child. Having a pets help only children adjust to new situations, keeps them company, and gives them a pal to talk to when parents are busy. Kids learn how to nurture and care for their pet. Pets helping them recover from illness. Pets help them stay healthier, the list goes on and on. The one thing that delights me is when children play with their pets. When you don’t have a brother or sister and the neighborhood kids aren’t available, pets love attention and like to have fun as much as kids do. Kids and pets love to run, chase each other and play games. Here’s a delightful picture of a little girl who spent time creating a tea party picnic for her pet. There are bone shaped sandwiches, carrots, dog treats and water and fruit. It looks like this little dog is enjoying the pampering and very happy to be invited to this backyard party on a warm summer day. Just one of the benefits of having a pet!

What To Do This Summer?

If you have a child that loves dogs or horses, think about finding a summer camp that supports their activities with their pet.  When you put kids together with their pet and help them learn more about how to train and care for them, you help establish a life-long bond that connects your child to all animals. There are summer camps for learning about Therapy Dogs, for Dog Training, for Dog Sports. There are Horse Camps for both kids that want to ride horses and children that need therapy that horses can provide. Many shelters offer summer day camps where children learn about pets. Spend some time searching the internet for local camps, then check them out by talking to families who’s children have been to the camp and asking for recommendations from local vets, dog trainers, dog groomers or pet sitters. Visit the camp to make sure that both you and your child are comfortable that it’s a positive, fun and safe place for kids and pets. It will be an experience your child will treasure for life.

Having A Dog Increases Exercise of Kids

A pet's physical needs for activity, exercise and play contribute to encouraging exercise for children. Playing with their pet, especially if it's a dog or cat, promotes exercise for both kids and pets. Whether it's walking the dog with a parent, throwing balls or sticks for their dog to chase, or letting their cat chase a string they're pulling, activity is good for kids and pets.

Having A Dog Good for Boys and Girls

• Studies Show Boys and girls love pets equally. Gender doesn't seem to matter when it comes to loving a pet. In fact, studies have found it may be more beneficial for boys to have a pet during early childhood. In today's world men and women share household responsibilities, caring for children and supporting the family financially, but observing boys as young as 4, pre-school teachers found that boys think playing with dolls (caring for babies) is “women’s work.” They not only avoided playing with dolls but also didn't want to help care for younger children. Instead their preferred activities were related to sports, playing with cars and trucks and “going to work.” Pets help children develop nurturing, caring and empathy.

Having A Dog Fosters Caring, Nuturing

Dogs Help Kids Develop Non-Verbal Communication, Compassion and Empathy.

According to the AACAP* “A good relationship with a pet can also help children in developing non-verbal communication, compassion and empathy.” Pets can be safe listeners to the secrets and private thoughts of children. Pets provide children with information about all phases of life: birth, illness, accidents, injury, death and grief - and teach respect for all living things. *American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry  February 2012

Having A Dog Helps Kids Learn to Care

• Helping you take care of a pet can help a child learn to nurture, connect with other people and become a caring person.  Children need to learn to care for others and establish secure relationships and attachments early in their development. Today’s latchkey kids, mixed families, “alternating households” and play things (when’s the last time you saw a child playing with a baby doll?) don’t foster nurturing but connecting with animals does. Even if your child can't have a pet for whatever reason, they can learn about pets and visit your friend's pets and help them care for their pet.

Having A Dog Helps Kids Read, Communicate

Therapy Dogs Benefit Kids - in Their Class Rooms

Bella, a beautiful (as you may have guessed by her name) Australian Shepherd, is a reading teacher at Desert Knolls Elementary school in Apple Valley, CA! She’s a “reading education assistance dog.” She volunteers by visiting the classrooms and the school library where children read to her. They don’t have to worry that she will correct their pronunciation, she just likes to listen. They get practice reading, It helps them gain confidence and they “adore” Bella. 

Child Psychologist Dr. Frieson conducted a study in 2010 with children and therapy dogs in a class room setting. He found that the animals provide a social and emotional support system for children. Because the animal seems non-judgmental to the child, it is perceived as comforting. Bella, by the way, has her own Facebook page: Read-With-Bella. Please visit and LIKE her page.