I sincerely believe that every child should grow up with a dog in the household because of the impact they have on a child’s development and overall happiness.

Although I am the oldest in my family, I never felt alone in the two years prior to my brother’s birth. Why? My family had two Australian Terriers waiting for me right when I came home from the hospital. Of course, I do not have memories from back then but my mom insists and from pictures I can tell that Indy and Kiwi were essentially my siblings.

They provide comfort.

There’s a reason dogs make great comfort and service animals, they are simply therapeutic. They are able to sense just what you need, whether it be a cuddle or a kiss.

They teach responsibility.

Dog’s need a lot of care and are a great way to teach kids about responsibility. Growing up it was my job to feed the dogs every morning. Not only was this a good way to contribute to my chores, but also make the bond between my dogs and I even closer.

They make you more active.

Playing outside with a dog can be a lot more entertaining than other forms of exercise, and it’s mutually beneficial.

Caption: My dog (Finn) and me after playing ball by Highland Lake, Bridgton, Maine.

They provide a sense of protection.

I always feel safer with my dog around, even though he’s a lovebug and may not be capable of actually protecting me. Although he does have an awfully loud alert bark when anyone comes to visit, so I don’t think anyone could break into the house without our knowledge.

They teach compassion.

I’d like to think I would be just as compassionate if I didn’t grow up with dogs, but I am not sure that would be the case. Personally I think they contributed to my softer, more empathetic side.

They can prevent the development of allergies.

Being exposed to pets as a baby has been scientifically proven to decrease the chances of developing allergies by 77%, especially to dust, ragweed, and grass.

They make you happier!

It’s hard to be unhappy when there’s a dog around, most likely because their presence increases our oxytocin levels and because they’re so darn cute!