Companionship: 54% of those surveyed were self assured when developing relationships and understood companionship and loss
Caring and empathy: Over half of those who had grown up with a four legged friend said that the experience of having a dog had made them more caring whilst 26% said it had taught them about empathy.
Says Stephen, “By looking at data it is clear that the skills a child develops as a result of having a good relationship with their dog may help in later life. For instance, an empathetic individual who is responsible and has good social skills may find it easier to relate to others in adult life, which could have knock-on effects for a range of relationships from work to friendship. Yet, in addition to providing emotional advantages such as increasing confidence and sociability as we grow up – the physical benefits of playing ‘fetch’ in the park and taking an interest in the dog’s nutrition also has an impact on our attitudes to fitness and health as we grow older.”
So how can a dog help nurture children into ‘all rounder’ adults? According to Stephens if you are a parent with a family dog you should…
Responsibility
Assign your child to pet care chores like making sure the dog has clean, fresh water. This helps children develop self-esteem as they achieve goals and are rewarded and praised for successfully completing tasks.
Companionship
Ensure your children play a key role in the daily dog walk and playtime, this provides them with an outlet to express his or her feelings and be tactile. This is mutually beneficial to both dog and child.
Caring & Empathy
Involve your child in the good and the bad times by making them understand what makes a dog feel happy (like playing and petting) and what makes a dog feel sad (like not being taken for a walk or being shouted at). They will soon develop an understanding of how they would feel in such a situation which will translate, in later life, to the ability to understand and share the opinions of others.
Sarah Alexander, Head of Marketing at Butcher’s Dog Food says
“We all remember days when we sploshed through puddles with our dogs, gave them their dinner or got a warm welcome when we returned home from school. It is great to know that those happy moments were well spent. As a family-run dog food company, we have always focussed on the well-being and happiness of our four legged friends, through natural nutrition. We always had a hunch that dogs play a central role in family life and are delighted that caring for and nurturing our pets as a child may really help us humans develop the skills we need to become successful, happy adults”.REMEMBER: A DOG IS FOR LIFE AND NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMASOctober 2007
The survey was commisioned by Butcher’s Dog Food, the family owned brand.
October 2007 |
