How pet breeding can improve children's behavior

Mohamed Salah

"There is no such thing as chemistry that combines animals and children, like magic with therapeutic properties," Elizabeth Anderson, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, said in a book published in 2008.

In the 1960s, American psychologist Boris Levinson noticed that children dealing with his dog while attending their treatment problems of communication problems, relaxed psychologically and become more relaxed and accelerated rates of improvement, hence the interest in studies on the positive impact of dogs on the child's health and psychological fitness.

Pets provide companionship and unconditional love for children, and help patients, what about the experience of acquisition?

An educational experience
Twenty-two studies have confirmed that dealing with pets meets important physical and psychological needs, including:

Learning responsibility, a child who cares for an animal and takes care of his affairs and meets his needs, learns responsibility and time management from a young age to be able to carry out his tasks, increasing his self-confidence, and become more patient and firm.

Physical activity.A pet at home makes a child use his extra energy to walk and play outdoors with his animal, leaving smart devices that waste his time and survive obesity and disease.

The delivery of information, as pets contribute to provide the child with valuable information about life, such as reproduction, birth, diseases, accidents and death, through what he sees and experience the conditions experienced by them.

Alert for psychological problems , although most children are nice with pets, some may be violent with them, which causes them to alert the existence of problems in the child to visit the psychiatrist.

A 1999 Canadian study showed that pet owners were more socially engaged, with people getting to know each other and chatting.

Improving mood and strengthening immunity. According to American veterinarian Marty Baker, "those with pets laugh more," and "mixing children with animals provides them with natural immunotherapy."

Character development . According to veterinarian Michael Landa (Los Angeles), "When children are tied to a dog or a cat, they learn to express themselves more and learn to build relationships better."

Parents opinion
According to a research released by the US RAND Corporation in September 2017, researchers found that children living with pets were better off than children without pets. Parents of children raised in families with pets responded that they had noticed their children several advantages, including:

• Improves overall health.
• Commitment and obedience more.
• Greater physical activity.
• Volatility and less mood.
• Fewer behavioral problems.
• Less educational problems.

Therapeutic dogs
Research shows that children with ADHD have improved the presence of a treatment dog next to them in the psychiatric clinic, and that cortisol levels appeared to be lower after the dog's therapeutic support helped produce oxytocin or hormone. Incubation, which calms the nervous system and increases healing rates.

In the next video, you will notice that Kyle has the ability to walk longer distances with the help of his dog.

Many scientific studies have shown that communication with animals helps children with autism to become more social and open, provided that the child interacts with the dog and their senses continue, as some children need time to get used to the animal and overcome the fear of it with the help and specialist training.

The most loyal dog species
Not all dogs are suitable to help treat children, the most famous breeds: the Golden Retriever, Laplador, Collie, Beagle, San Bernardo, Great Dan, and German Shepherd, suitable for this role after passing special exercises, because of its non-aggressiveness, and speed of learning, Commitment to orders.

Tips and caveats
If your children ask for a dog or a cat, it is best to fulfill their wish, but then make sure that you have enough time and financial resources to care for your pet, because hosting it needs a family environment that is ready.

If you decide to raise a dog, you should talk to the breeder or seller about your family and your child's behavior, and spend some time with the dog before returning home. Make a list of what you need to care for, determine where you live at home, schedule training, feeding and walking, and let your child participate.

But there are some risks to the health of the child from dealing with animals, such as:

• Bacteria, contact with the animal and scratching the child can transmit bacteria to skin diseases.
• Food, touching the animal's food may transmit the salmonella microbe.
• Parasites, such as tapeworms, which may be transmitted from animal waste to the child.
• Biting. Biting an animal causes a risk for the child to go to the doctor.
• Bronchitis , through animal dander that transmits bacteria called chlamydia.

To avoid these risks and ensure that the child's health is maintained, the mother must:

• Supervision, do not let the animal feed and clean the child, and prevent her child from kissing the animal.

• Cleaning the animal, Animal hygiene and disease prevention drugs should be given attention.

• Cleanliness of the child, attention should be paid to washing the child's hands whenever dealing with the animal, and before eating.

• Disinfection of the house, in order to reduce the chances of contamination with bacteria transmitted through the animal to family members.