Pets are not just cute and cuddly. According to Robert Poresky, a renowned sociologist at Kansas State University, they can also boost a child’s learning, teach empathy and responsibility, and raise overall IQ scores.

Eighty-eight households with pets and children ranging from three to six years of age participated in child development research for a five-year period. Parents filled out questionnaires and had in-home evaluators conduct interviews about the kind and amount of interaction children had with their furry friends. The results showed that the more children interacted with their pets, the greater the impact was on child development stages.

"One of the things an animal does with a child is to help give the child an understanding of the world from the pet’s viewpoint. That factor may stimulate cognitive development, which in turn can boost IQ scores," Poresky said.

Pet Ownership Enhances Child Social Development, Academics

Pet ownership enhances child social development and learning experiences in a variety of ways.

  • Increased empathy for both animals and humans
  • Understanding of behavioral traits such as loyalty, unconditional love, comfort, and companionship
  • Increased sense of responsibility for providing for the needs of others
  • Enhanced levels of self-esteem
  • Greater patience and perseverance from teaching pets to obey and perform tricks
  • Improved emotional openness from children learning to tell their problems to their pets

How Early Should Children Be Allowed To Have Pets?

Toddlers are able to bond with small animals, but they don’t begin to show empathy for a pet until they are past the age of three.

Between the ages of three and six, children interact well with animals, but they are too immature to handle the daily responsibilities of pet care.

Between six and eight, children do well at feeding and grooming chores, and emotionally can appreciate the love and acceptance that pets can give them.

Introducing pets into a home with small children works best when parents are the consistent caretakers of the animals and can oversee the interaction between pet and child.

Choosing the Right Pets for Kids

While dogs and cats are the hands-down favorites in most homes, other pets make good companion animals as well. The key is to choose an animal that your child can easily interact with. Overall, you should select a pet that has the following qualities:

  • relatively calm and well behaved
  • a breed known to interact well with children
  • an appropriate size for the age of the child
  • responsive to human interaction
  • inclined to cuddle and show warmth and affection

 


For more information about the positive effects of pets on families read:
"The Healing Power of Pets"
Dr. Marty Becker
Hyperion Books, 2002

Irene Helen Zundel is a freelance writer specializing in writing educational and family oriented articles.