Health Benefits of Dogs and Dirt

A study of almost 400 infants in Finland has demonstrated the positive impact of early exposure to dogs on the health of the children. The study, just published by the journal Pediatrics, found that children with dogs at home had fewer repiratory or ear infections and needed fewer courses of antibiotics than children who had no exposure to dogs.

Further, the study determined that the greatest positive impact occurred when children were exposed to dogs that spent a significant part of their day outside of the house. The authors note that this might be due to the increased amount of dirt brought into the home by dogs who spend much of their time outdoors. They state, "In other words, less dirt is brought indoors by dogs who live mainly indoors". The study noted some positive impact for exposure to cats, but not as significant as that for dogs.

Another recent study, this one using mice, looked at the impact of a germ free environment and found a negative correlation between such an environment and tolerance of cells to conditions such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. The authors conclude that early exposure to microbes is critical for building tolerance to later disease exposure. 

Parents who are concerned about having pets around young children and keeping their kids away from dirt should be heartened to learn that both dogs and dirt can be beneficial to their childrens' health.

Photo by Aaron E. Silvers via Flickr/Creative Commons

Pet Therapy

We've written before about how having pets can teach children responsibility and we've looked at how some schools are using dogs to work with struggling readers. Now we have learned about a psychotherapy practice, Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado, that uses dogs and cats to help patients talk about the issues that have brought them into treatment. First reported in the Denver Post,  Linda Chassman, Ph.D., a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and her team of human therapists, dogs, cats, and even a horse, use the connection that patients form with animals to reach them in a way that traditional "talk therapy" cannot. 


Recognizing that using animals to reach people, especially children, is an area of growing interest, the American Humane Society has put together an Animal Assisted Therapy Program to train professionals who want to incorporate pet therapy into their practices and is working with the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work Institute for Human - Animal Connection where ongoing research includes examining the impact of pet therapy on the psychotherapeutic process.


Of course, just having a dog or cat in a therapist's office is not necessarily beneficial to patients. The credentials of the therapist, whether he or she has had training from a reputable source in incorporating animals into the therapy process, and how the patient feels about animals are all key considerations before working with a therapist who includes pets in his or her practice. But this kind of treatment may be something to consider for particular patients in particular circumstances. 


photo credit:  susieq3c at flickr

Pets

We had a particularly handsome visitor at our offices today, and he reminded us all about how pets can be a positive influence on children, especially those who struggle with school or with specific learning issues. We've written before about how some schools have programs where students read to dogs as a way of improving the students' fluency and confidence. But pets can have a positive impact on children in a number of ways -- and these benefits aren't limited to dogs or cats.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of pet ownership for children is that it teaches responsibility -- and consequences. Goldfish that are not fed, or are overfed, will not be around for long. Puppies that are not trained or walked regularly will get into mischief and have accidents around the house. Litter boxes that are not emptied will not be pleasant to have in your home. Every family will have to determine what kind of pet will be suitable for their home, based upon the age of the children, the kind of home (city, suburban, rural), and whether there are people home during the day. Allergies can also be a factor for some children. Even the breed of presidential pooch was chosen so as to avoid exacerbating the allergies of one of President Obama's daughters.

Families should consider what will happen if the pleas for a pet are not followed up by suitable responsible behavior. Will mom or dad pick up the slack? Will the pet be returned to the breeder or pet store? Pets shouldn't be an impulse purchase. Research can be an important part of the process and having children do some or all of this research can be another important skill builder. There are books at all levels about animals and their care and building upon a child's interest in a pet can be an important tool in building his or her reading skills.

Finally, parents need to consider another type of lesson that pets can teach -- the cycle of life and the "birds and the bees". Some species of small rodents and fish will eat their young. Many small animals and fish have short life cycles. The toilet bowl funeral service for a goldfish or the backyard burial of a gerbil can also teach life lessons, but families should think about the likelihood of these events before the trip to the pet store.