Debating with your partner about getting a family pet? You may want to put the hamster on hold and consider man’s best friend, aka a dog, because a new study says they can help kids develop social skills!
According to a new study by the University of Western Australia, owning, walking, and playing with a family dog may encourage a preschooler’s social and emotional development and encourage them to play with others.
The study pulled data from 1,646 households with kids between two and five years old and found that kids from dog-owning families were 30% less likely to have conduct and peer problems compared to kids from families without dogs. Kids with dogs were also 23% less likely to struggle with their emotions and social interactions than kids who don’t have dogs.
Kids who play with their dogs at least three times a week were 74% more likely to engage in pro-social behaviors, like sharing and the researchers tie this to dogs being “social enablers” as they help children learn about responsibility.
Now go get a dog for the fam, unless your allergic!
