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Coming back to the eye-opening research we talked about at the beginning of this post, Matt Cassels, a Gates Cambridge Scholar at the Department of Psychiatry, who led the study, said that anyone who has loved a childhood pet knows that we turn to them for companionship and disclosure, just like relationships between people.

"We wanted to know how strong these relationships are with pets relative to other close family ties. Ultimately this may enable us to understand how animals contribute to healthy child development," Cassels explained.

#2

A Baby And His Dog

Final score:

789points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

AWW 💕💕💕 even the dog is smiling 😭

91points

According to the academic, even though pets may not fully understand or respond verbally, the level of disclosure to pets was no less than to siblings. And the fact that pets cannot understand or talk back may even be a benefit! It means they are completely non-judgmental.

"While previous research has often found that boys report stronger relationships with their pets than girls do, we actually found the opposite. While boys and girls were equally satisfied with their pets, girls reported more disclosure, companionship, and conflict with their pet than did boys, perhaps indicating that girls may interact with their pets in more nuanced ways," Cassels said.

Dr. Nancy Gee, Human-Animal Interaction Research Manager at WALTHAM and a co-author of the study, added that evidence continues to grow, showing that pets have positive benefits on human health and community cohesion.

"The social support that adolescents receive from pets may well support psychological well-being later in life but there is still more to learn about the long term impact of pets on children’s development."

#3

I Volunteer For A Dog Rescue, We Love Seeing Updates Of The Dogs In Their New Homes. This One Made Me Smile

Final score:

736points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

this is so pure

86points

#4

My Son Has Autism And One Of His Unique Trait, Is His Need For Physical Contact At All Times. Barb Came Into Our Lives And Elected Herself To The Position Of Weighted Blanket & Bodyguard

Final score:

690points

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Znaya 3 years ago

Animals have that instinct and children with autism have super powers, never underestimate the combination

20points

#5

We Told Lincoln To Watch Some Youtube Videos On How To Train His Puppy

So here he is, showing them to the dog.

Daniel Ball Report

Final score:

675points

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MagicalUnicorn 3 years ago

some attention was paid :D

110points

#6

Two Street Children, With Barely Enough Money To Afford Slippers, Bandage An Injured Puppy

Final score:

667points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

these kids deserve the world

29points

#7

My Daughter Has A Huge Heart For Dogs And Begged For Months To Get Another Rescue. She Even Used All Her Money To Pitch In For The Fees. Here She Is With Our Third Rescue Pupper, Daisy

Final score:

644points

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MagicalUnicorn 3 years ago

beautiful doggo

88points

#8

A Sleeping Baby, Dog, And Cat. I Think I Win The Internet High Score

Final score:

644points

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Hayasahibaa 3 years ago

Yes, you do 🙂

89points

#9

And I Never Thought That 17 Years Later, My Best Friend Would Live To Meet My First Child

Final score:

639points

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Znaya 3 years ago

He waited and he needed to be there

18points

#10

So, Cassidy (My Daughter) Was Snuggling Elsa (Our Rescue Pup) Under Her Hoodie. I Walked Into The Room And Asked "Where's Elsa?" Well, Elsa Tried To Get To Me

Final score:

636points

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Berry Budgie 3 years ago

Into the unkownnnn!

107points

#11

Our Neighbor Gives Treats Through The Fence. Recently He Has Been Giving My Daughter Treats Too. This Is Them Waiting Patiently Today

Final score:

625points

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Znaya 3 years ago

Snacks for all or snacks for none 😀

14points

#12

Their Dog Hasn’t Eaten Well Since They Brought Their Baby Home - Dog Kept Taking Food Into The Living Room And Leaving It There

Someone suggested the dog might be worried the baby isn’t visibly eating, so is “feeding” the baby. They tried giving the baby a bowl of food at the same time. It worked!

xianaa Report

Final score:

622points

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Berry Budgie 3 years ago

Awww cute instincts

95points

#13

Just A Boy And His New Dog

Final score:

615points

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Full of Giggles 3 years ago

If we fits, we sits.

21points

#14

My Moms Rescue Dog Rico Is Best Friends With My Baby. I Interrupted Them Watching Peppa Pig

Final score:

611points

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AzKhaleesi 3 years ago

omfg I want this dog, he reminds me of my ooshy bear (Lucius) he was a rescue pit, he was bred and raised as a bait dog and was an albino red nose. Looked a LOT like this guy but mine was all white. His ears were docked way to low so they looked evil (but they kept his tail I'm assuming to whip with) he had hot grease poured down his back at some point so was scarred. he was a beast. When I saw him I thought "he's gonna eat my face" but I gave him a treat and he laid his head in my head and just sighed all 5 years of stress away. I took him home and he was my best friend. He wouldn't let me go upstairs without checking it out first. 6 months later he passed away from seizures. I have never found a doggo like him and I miss him so bad. RIP my Ooshy Bear. Mama loves you.

20points

#15

I Knew My Senior Dog Loved Babies, But Seeing Him Love My Daughter Makes My Heart Burst

Final score:

601points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

is it just me but does your senior dog look like a puppy

110points

#16

Peeking Buddies

Final score:

588points

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SoozeeQ 3 years ago

These two growin' up together - best friends for life.

69points

#17

This Bulldog Squish Into Any Space As Along As He’s Close To His Human

Final score:

580points

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Debi Blackshaw 3 years ago

awww that's love ❤

72points

#18

My Best Friend Has Four Paws. CJ (5 Years Old) And Chance (3 Months Old)

Final score:

574points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

"Hey can you show me the picture"

103points

#19

My Dog Thinks My Daughter Is His Baby. They Love Each Other So Much. This Is How They Fell Asleep Yesterday During Nap Time

Final score:

565points

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Znaya 3 years ago

Don't tell him 😀

47points

#20

6 Years Of Friendship

Final score:

562points

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Gon Freecss 3 years ago

We got my dog when I was 2, im 14 now :)

9points

#21

Had To Put My Dog Down A Few Months Ago. My Son Will Never Know How Much Griffin Loved Him

Final score:

530points

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Diellza 3 years ago

I'm so sorry for your loss.

163points

#22

In Their Mind They Are Secret Service

Final score:

514points

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Znaya 3 years ago

And they have the serious faces for the serious job 😀

98points

#23

My Brother’s Daughter And New Puppy Are Already Best Buds, They Even Have Matching Outfits

Final score:

507points

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Full of Giggles 3 years ago

Oh my goodness! All that beautiful hair!

64points

#24

Took My Dog And Daughter Out For The First Time Together, In A Winter Wonderland

Final score:

507points

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Watching 3 years ago

Stunning photo.

99points

#25

My Baby With My Dog’s Babies

Final score:

505points

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Berry Budgie 3 years ago

All the babies in one place makes them much easier the watch

83points

#26

Our Dog Has Hardly Left My Wife’s Side Since Baby Arrived. He’s A Proud Older Brother

Final score:

504points

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Hayasahibaa 3 years ago

That humble smile 😍

79points

#27

My Daughter Was Nervous Around Dogs, And Then She Met This Guy. He Let Her Love All Over Him For 20 Minutes And Afterwards, Her Fear Was Gone. Thank You, Sweet Boy, For Making Her Into The Dog Lover She Is

My Daughter Was Nervous Around Dogs, And Then She Met This Guy. He Let Her Love All Over Him For 20 Minutes And Afterwards, Her Fear Was Gone. Thank You, Sweet Boy, For Making Her Into The Dog Lover She Is

Final score:

501points

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Berry Budgie 3 years ago

Awww Gibbs

47points

#28

It’s My Dogs 4th Birthday, My Daughter Spent All Her Pocket Money Buying Her A Steak

Final score:

491points

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Dark Side of the Loom 3 years ago

Love her sweater :) !

53points

#29

My Dog Is 18, Has Trouble Standing. Since Clare Was Born, He Stands For Hours Watching. Good Boy

Final score:

484points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

Good boy

59points

#30

Our Son Had A Heart Transplant. My Wife Made Him A Tin Man Costume. Cowardly Lion Played By Murphy Jenkins

Final score:

472points

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CaliCoast 3 years ago

So glad your son is doing well. They're both adorable!

74points

#31

The 12-Week-Old Guarding The 1-Week-Old. Something Tells Me This Is The Start Of A Beautiful Friendship

Final score:

471points

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Peachthepan 3 years ago

Look at those two! They both look so cute! :>

57points

#32

This Kid Walking His Dog In Full Astronaut Gear

Final score:

461points

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SoozeeQ 3 years ago

Anyone else immediately think of the movie "Wonder"? It's a gorgeous movie, and so are these two.

8points

#33

Our Daughter Was Visited By Maddie, A Therapy Dog, Before Her (Successful) Surgery At Phoenix Children’s Hospital ... This Dog Helped All Of Us More Than She Will Ever Know ... She’s Not A Good Girl, She’s A Great Girl

Our Daughter Was Visited By Maddie, A Therapy Dog, Before Her (Successful) Surgery At Phoenix Children’s Hospital ... This Dog Helped All Of Us More Than She Will Ever Know ... She’s Not A Good Girl, She’s A Great Girl

Final score:

452points

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Berry Budgie 3 years ago

Yes☺️ Yes she is

60points

#34

My Son And Daughter

Final score:

450points

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OffKeySinger 3 years ago

He looks like the kid from the movie, Up. Cute!

11points

#35

Our Good Girl, Stella. Picked Her Up A Year Ago At The Pound. The Best Farm Dog Ever

Final score:

448points

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Joeshar 3 years ago

Looks like an Anatolian Shepherd (Kangal). A giant gentle breed but able to deal with 2 wolves at a time

15points

#36

Step 1: Try To Take Cute Pic Of Dog And Baby. Step 2: Dog Sneezes During Pic. Step 3: Accidentally Capture My Dogs Inner Demon, And My Son Thinks It's Funny

Final score:

445points

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SoozeeQ 3 years ago

This is worth framing on the wall!

78points

#37

I Waited Over Ten Years For A Dog, Finally Have A Backyard. We Tried For Two Years To Get Pregnant, Finally Had A Daughter. Last Month My Heart Became Complete

Final score:

444points

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Watching 3 years ago

You lucked out. Congratulations!

40points

#38

She’s Loyal, Protective, And Goofy. Meet My Daughter’s Best Friend

Final score:

440points

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Katelyntheweirdo 3 years ago

Pixie and Brutus!

3points

#39

My Son And His Puppy - They Can’t Get Enough Of Each Other

Final score:

433points

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Kinga Złotkowska 3 years ago

This picture is worth a thousand words. Love it!

51points

#40

We Were So Nervous To Bring Our Newborn Son Home To Meet Our Beagle. Best Friends Right Away. Meet Oliver And His Doggo Sophie

Final score:

428points

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Watching 3 years ago

Oh look at the absolute bliss on Oliver's face! Love this.

57points

#41

This Pretty Girl Came To Visit My Daughter

Final score:

426points

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Olivier Caissy 3 years ago

I wish hospitals had those when I passed my childhood in them, 30 years ago.

67points

#42

Gentle Giant

Final score:

418points

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manon M 3 years ago

I would like to know what dogs think in these situations (with a baby on lap) because we can see that they never/rarely seem to be at ease (eyes, ears etc)

59points

#43

They Bonded Before We Even Left The Parking Space

Final score:

415points

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Flare 3 years ago

Reminds me of the time I was holding this baby kangaroo in a pouch bag at North Georgia Zoo. She was chilling and lazy in my arms, and was appropriately named Diva.

4points

#44

Now This Is Just Perfect

Final score:

403points

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Random Person 3 years ago

I will take twelve of those puppy baskets please

6points

#45

I Just Finished This “Fort” For My Son So He Could Look At Trucks Out The Window. Now He Can Hang Out With His Best Friend

Final score:

398points

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Mimi M 3 years ago

What a lovely idea! Good construction too!

5points

#46

My Oldest Has Been Battling A Cold. 95 Lbs Of Lap Puppy To The Rescue. Such A Good Boy

Final score:

388points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

the perfect cure

40points

#47

My Son Broke His Arm And Ever Since He Came Home My Girlfriend's Dog Won't Leave His Side

Final score:

386points

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Aj Grimes (them/they)🦄 3 years ago

My cat will sometimes lay with me when I feel sad..

4points

#48

Beginning Of A Great Friendship

Final score:

383points

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Znaya 3 years ago

Love at first sight

25points

#49

My Nephew Meeting The Puppy

Final score:

375points

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panDAheART 3 years ago

The pupper looks like Major Biden

12points

#50

My Wife And Her Pupper 30 Years Ago, And Our Daughter And Her Pupper

Final score:

372points

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Eva the Egg 3 years ago

friends forever

30points