Top 10 Amazing Benefits of Having a Family Pet

therapeutic benefits of having a family pet
Are you on the fence about buying a new pet for your family? If so, click here to learn about the top 10 benefits of having a family pet.

family pet benefits

Are you considering buying a new pet for your family?

There is something very special about the energy that animals, especially dogs and cats, add to any home.

Their presence somehow change us at a molecular level.

Those of us who grew up with a family pet couldn’t imagine experiencing childhood without them. And for both children and adults, pets can represent an instant dose of stress relief.

Keep reading to learn more about some of the key benefits to owning a pet.

1. Kids With Pets Get Outside More

Owning a pet can be one of the many great joys of life.

One obvious benefit of having a family pet is that animals like dogs and cats love to run and play in the great outdoors. As much as they might enjoy lounging about in the climate-controlled house, they need fresh air, and this naturally draws kids outside with them.

Taking dogs for a walk is an excellent way to spend time together as a family. Whether you stay on your own street, in the neighborhood, or go to the park, it’s a chance for your dog to get exercise, socialize with other dogs and people, and just to roam about and enjoy new smells.

Getting outside with the family pet also provides a natural opportunity for you to socialize with other pet owners, catch up with old friends, and make new ones.

2. Teaching Responsibility

Giving a child simple chores like filling a pet’s food and water bowls make them feel more grown up. Kids like feeling that they can be trusted.

Tasks like cleaning out the litter box or brushing the pet not only help out parents with busy schedules but also give kids an extra opportunity to bond with their pets by caring for them.

As kids get older, allowing them to take the dog for a walk also adds to their sense of responsibility and independence.

It also teaches a kid about caring for another.

3. Unconditional Love

Pets are always excited when you come home. They don’t care if you’ve had a bad hair day. They love to cuddle, and they never argue with your opinions.

The unconditional love they provide seems to always be exactly what is needed after a long day at work or school.

4. A Pet Can Teach Confidence

Want your child to grow up to be confident and kind? Psychologists claim that young people who are raised with and care for pets grow up to have stronger relationships.

And believe it or not, looking after a pet can boost a young person’s connection to their community.

5. Therapeutic Benefits

There is something naturally therapeutic about pets. They offer non-judgmental companionship, and their simple presence during difficult moments in life make the world seem like a better place.

Therapy dogs make great companions for people recovering from trauma. Offering comfort, security, and love, these are special animals trained to sense the owner’s needs and provide emotional comfort.

Here is a link for information on how to get a therapy dog.

6. Increases Verbal Skills

Children raised in homes with pets typically develop verbal skills earlier than those raised in pet-free homes. A pet’s simple presence provides stimulus for a child to communicate verbally.

Pets are constant companions that make great playmates, and children will talk to them more openly and at a younger age than they might with their parents or siblings.

7. Lowers Blood Pressure

According to the American Heart Association, owning a pet may help lower blood pressure, obesity, and cholesterol. It could also reduce the risk of heart disease.

Dog owners engage in more walking and other physical activities than non-dog owners. Studies show that there are also sociological and psychological benefits.

Simply playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine. In clinical studies, children with hypertension registered lower blood pressure after petting their dog.

But don’t expect to decrease your cardiovascular risk by being a couch potato. Take your dog outside and get active!

8. Helps With Social Skills

Children who are otherwise shy or socially awkward will happily chatter away with the family pet. This is because pets are the best listeners in the world! They never judge.

Kids feel comfortable with the family pet when they might not feel comfortable talking to their peers or members of their own family. In fact, a child’s pet is often their first friend.

Children raised around pets also develop cognitively at a younger age, simply through the natural process of interacting with another being.

9. Instant Icebreaker

A huge benefit to owning a pet, for both kids and adults alike, is that pets serve as instant icebreakers. Pets are natural conversation starters.

People who might not otherwise have anything in common can quickly connect through conversation over dogs, whether in a park, or at the office, or in school.

10. Pets Keep Kids Healthy

It’s good for your health to have pets around. We’ve already discussed the fact that pets can lower your blood pressure, but the impact on health doesn’t end there.

Studies have shown that babies exposed to dogs and cats have fewer ear infections, runny noses, coughs, and had less need for antibiotics than children living in pet-free homes.

Turns out that pets are good for the immune system. This is because they expose children to dirt and allergens that strengthen their young immune systems, and actually decreases a child’s chance of developing certain allergies.

The Benefits Of A Family Pet

A pet can be a valuable addition to any family. They provide unconditional love and companionship.

They also contribute to both our physical and psychological well-being, and become as much a part of the family as anyone else. There’s nothing better than cuddling on the couch with a beloved family dog or cat, and they are always there for you during good times and bad.

For anyone struggling with emotional issues or trauma, we encourage you to consider learning how to get a therapy dog.

We are confident that you won’t regret giving yourself or your family the beautiful gift of a pet.

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