A pet dog helps reduce children's stress. Petting a dog really helps kids. Researchers looked at 643 young children. They found that children with a pet dog are less stressed than children without one. This will not surprise parents. They know dogs help children to develop.

 

 

We do not know if less stressed children have pet dogs, or if pet dogs make children less stressed. Pet dogs help children start conversations. This is often difficult for children. Children often tell their pet all their secrets. Sometimes a pet dog is so important that its name is the first word a baby speaks.