Dog and child, i.e. friendship for many years

An animal such as a dog is not only a play companion for a child, but also a therapist. For a long time we all know that contact with an animal has a positive impact on emotional development, not only social but also physical. It has been proven that children growing up in a pet house are certainly more open, responsible and independent. Animals such as dogs, but not only, support cognitive development in children and reduce stress.

Contact with the dog and playing with him lowers the level of cortisol- stress hormone, at the same time increases the concentration of oxytocin-love hormone, which is responsible for the feeling of trust, bond and attachment to the other being. Dogs also allow to endure traumatic situations such as death of parents, disability. Animals also have an excellent impact on children's physical health. It has been proven that children who are in constant contact with a dog are less prone to obesity, asthma and allergies.

When you enlarge your family with a dog, remember that this is not a toy. Certainly children older than ten years of age may take over some of the duties to be performed while eating a four-legged. However, all this should be done under the control of adults. In order for your dog to be safe and enjoyable to come into contact with your child, we must follow a number of rules, including making your child aware that your dog also has the same feelings as we do. A dog is not a toy. Our task is to teach the child to play safely with the animal. Socialisation and dog training are important issues.

We must tell our child that when the dog is asleep, it eats or is not calm, it must not be approached and jerked. Any contact with a dog should be under the constant control of an adult person, as a child or dog can make an inappropriate movement or gesture and can lead to tragedy. The most common mistakes are made by isolating the dog from the child, or showing affection and interest only when our child is asleep. This is when the dog associates the child and his cry with the time of isolation and lack of interest on the part of the owner. We must do everything so that everything that concerns our child is associated with a dog with pleasant feelings. In this way we will ensure the safety of our child and dog. If you are already in doubt about preparing your pet for your child's arrival at home, ask for help from a qualified behavioural therapist.