Nanny to Mommy

Welcoming a pet into your home is no easy decision. While it might seem like a dream come true, in reality, owning a dog can be hugely taxing and gives you a lot more responsibility day to day.

The decision is even more difficult when small children are in the home. Will the dog and kids get along? Will the kids be safe? Which breeds are the best for kids? There are, understandably, a lot of questions. However, there is a huge number of benefits to bringing a dog into your family, all of which have been scientifically proven to help your children develop into healthy and happy little humans.

If you have allergies yourself, you know just how annoying they can be. Kids that grow up in a pet-friendly household have a lower chance of developing allergies and asthma. This means that’s one less thing to worry about as they grow up.

When bringing home a dog, the amount of exercise the family typically does on a daily basis will definitely increase. And it’s a great way to spend time with the family, as well as showing the kids how important exercise is for a healthy lifestyle. A fun loving breed like a whoodle would be a great choice if you're looking for a kind and active breed.

Kids with pets are far more likely to exercise, and will probably make looking after them much easier. Get yourself a dog door with sensor into the backyard, and your fur baby can play with your human babies whenever they fancy.

A pooch doesn’t just warm your heart, it’ll keep it healthy. Harvard Health found that children that grow up with dogs can benefit from improved blood circulation, and a lower chance of suffering with cardiovascular illness or diseases.

We all know someone who begged their parents for a dog, promised they’d look after it and left it for the parents to do all the hard work. But, when put in the right situations, children can learn a lot about responsibility by having a dog. Being responsible for feeding and caring for their pet helps teach kids the importance of empathy, care and responsibility.

There are several studies that show children from pet-friendly homes suffer less with stress and anxiety. In general, pets in the home promote emotional wellbeing and happiness within everyone in the family. Whether it’s encouraging you to exercise regularly (which can aid with sleep and stress), or just having an impartial pooch to talk to for therapy at the end of a tough day.

Having a pet often leads your child to be less impulsive and more thoughtful. They can be particularly helpful when caring for a kid with ADHD. A pet can ground them and create a distraction in intense or hyper situations.

There are a ton of other ways in which children and pets can become the perfect duo. From mental wellbeing, to child development, your kids can enjoy the fun of a furry friend while also becoming respectful, and kinder individuals as they grow.