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If You Don’t Think Your Kids Need A Dog After Seeing These Pics, You Must Be A Cat (New Pics)
In 2017, Cambridge researchers looked at the interactions of 12-year-olds and their pets in 77 British households. The children were asked about the quality of relationships with their family members, including pets. That quality was calculated across four different dimensions: satisfaction with the relationship, feelings of companionship, communication, and conflict.
Of those parameters, the kids reported not only less conflict with pets than their siblings, but also more satisfaction. That's a polite, academic way of saying they felt a stronger bond with their pet than with their brother or sister. Moreover, researchers noted that in the hierarchy of pets, kids were most bonded with dogs.
So consider this original Bored Panda list as the following argument: if you believe that your kids don't need a dog, you must be a cat. While we're at it, check out a compilation of photos we put together in the past to support this claim too.
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#1
8 Months Ago, Our Son Got A Support Dog. Our Son Was Mostly Wheelchair Dependent. We Hoped His Dog Would Help Him Grow Stronger. I Think We Can Conclude That Together They Succeeded
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.
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#2
A Baby And His Dog
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
#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
#5
We Told Lincoln To Watch Some Youtube Videos On How To Train His Puppy
So here he is, showing them to the dog.
#6
Two Street Children, With Barely Enough Money To Afford Slippers, Bandage An Injured Puppy
#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
#8
A Sleeping Baby, Dog, And Cat. I Think I Win The Internet High Score
#9
And I Never Thought That 17 Years Later, My Best Friend Would Live To Meet My First Child
#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
#11
Our Neighbor Gives Treats Through The Fence. Recently He Has Been Giving My Daughter Treats Too. This Is Them Waiting Patiently Today
#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!
#13
Just A Boy And His New Dog
#14
My Moms Rescue Dog Rico Is Best Friends With My Baby. I Interrupted Them Watching Peppa Pig
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.
#15
I Knew My Senior Dog Loved Babies, But Seeing Him Love My Daughter Makes My Heart Burst
#16
Peeking Buddies
#17
This Bulldog Squish Into Any Space As Along As He’s Close To His Human
#18
My Best Friend Has Four Paws. CJ (5 Years Old) And Chance (3 Months Old)
#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
#20
6 Years Of Friendship
#21
Had To Put My Dog Down A Few Months Ago. My Son Will Never Know How Much Griffin Loved Him
#22
In Their Mind They Are Secret Service
#23
My Brother’s Daughter And New Puppy Are Already Best Buds, They Even Have Matching Outfits
#24
Took My Dog And Daughter Out For The First Time Together, In A Winter Wonderland
#25
My Baby With My Dog’s Babies
#26
Our Dog Has Hardly Left My Wife’s Side Since Baby Arrived. He’s A Proud Older Brother
#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
#28
It’s My Dogs 4th Birthday, My Daughter Spent All Her Pocket Money Buying Her A Steak
#29
My Dog Is 18, Has Trouble Standing. Since Clare Was Born, He Stands For Hours Watching. Good Boy
#30
Our Son Had A Heart Transplant. My Wife Made Him A Tin Man Costume. Cowardly Lion Played By Murphy Jenkins
#31
The 12-Week-Old Guarding The 1-Week-Old. Something Tells Me This Is The Start Of A Beautiful Friendship
#32
This Kid Walking His Dog In Full Astronaut Gear
#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
#34
My Son And Daughter
#35
Our Good Girl, Stella. Picked Her Up A Year Ago At The Pound. The Best Farm Dog Ever
#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
#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
#38
She’s Loyal, Protective, And Goofy. Meet My Daughter’s Best Friend
#39
My Son And His Puppy - They Can’t Get Enough Of Each Other
#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
#41
This Pretty Girl Came To Visit My Daughter
Olivier Caissy 3 years ago
I wish hospitals had those when I passed my childhood in them, 30 years ago.
#42
Gentle Giant
#43
They Bonded Before We Even Left The Parking Space
#44
Now This Is Just Perfect
#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
#46
My Oldest Has Been Battling A Cold. 95 Lbs Of Lap Puppy To The Rescue. Such A Good Boy
#47
My Son Broke His Arm And Ever Since He Came Home My Girlfriend's Dog Won't Leave His Side
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Every time either my daughter or I get sick, our two dogs never leave our side. They worry.
Happy Happy Gay Guy 3 years ago
Girlfriend is never going to be able to leave -- dog and boy won't have it.
Whatshername 3 years ago
Our jumpy dog walked patiently by my side (and sat by me afterwards) when I came home from surgery. They really do know!
Hannah Edwards 3 years ago
Wow! My dog won’t even stay in the room if I start crying, just gives me side eye and leaves quietly.
#48
Beginning Of A Great Friendship
#49
My Nephew Meeting The Puppy
Add New Image
What do you think ?
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago
I love posts like these. It's so beautiful to see so many dog lovers in the making. And you can never have too many of those.
RoseTheMad 3 years ago
Eh, cute. But I don't believe my kid needs a dog. She's happy with the 3 cats we have. Especially my male cat, who normally isn't affectionate, who sleeps on the end of her bed or cuddled into her when she's not well or has nightmares. :)
Dorothy Cloud 3 years ago
I tell ya, just can't beat dogs with children. It is just so beautiful!
Tammy Ralph 3 years ago
My grandson is eight months old and my dog is having none of it, he is so jealous of him that I will not leave them in the same room even to run get something. It's been like this from the first day the baby came home, I thought he might have come round by now but no.
*sigh*, The Yellow Teletubby 3 years ago
ok off topic, I have no education on babies, can someone pLEASE tell me why all of the fresh ones look crusty?? Like I thought they were supposed to be smooth and squishy
just let me sleep 3 years ago
What's up with this cat-dog animosity? I had a dog for 18 years, loved him to no end and fell into pieces when he had to be put down. I now have two cats and love them both exactly as much too. My life looks different now so cats are easier to maintain, but the love and friendship is the same, no matter who it comes from.
Marcia Cash 3 years ago
My husband's mother never let him have pets, so he was grown before he turned into a dog boy. He plays ball with them until everyone is worn out. Chica-LeeM...d4a474.jpg 
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
Who actually cares? If you're here for the likes then ask yourself why that is so important.
Load More Replies...
troufaki13 3 years ago
I don't like the title of this post. What the h3ll does it mean if you don't like dogs then you're a cat? A cat would never say something like that for a dog! :D But yes, it is great when a child grows up with a PET!
Janine B. 3 years ago
Exactly. Everytime someone asks me if I like cats or dogs better I'm just like "Yes."
Load More Replies...
Naoko Yamaguchi 3 years ago (edited)
When I have a baby child, I will give him/her a dog as his/her friend. The child will learn the importance of true kindness, pure friendship, and an ingenuous smile. When he/she grows up to be a teenager, he/she will learn sadness at death and preciousness of life.
manon M 3 years ago
pitbull or labradoodle. it's the same. let the dogs quiet.
Load More Replies... 
sturmwesen 3 years ago
The "buying" or "adopting" is not the realy expensive part. You need to afford food, vet care and maybe a dogwalker. I was seriously struggling moneywise when my first dog got heart problems and cauda equina. It can be hundreds of dollars/euros a month and if it needs extensive as my last dog did it can be thousands in a few weeks.
Load More Replies... 
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago
I love posts like these. It's so beautiful to see so many dog lovers in the making. And you can never have too many of those.
RoseTheMad 3 years ago
Eh, cute. But I don't believe my kid needs a dog. She's happy with the 3 cats we have. Especially my male cat, who normally isn't affectionate, who sleeps on the end of her bed or cuddled into her when she's not well or has nightmares. :)
Dorothy Cloud 3 years ago
I tell ya, just can't beat dogs with children. It is just so beautiful!
Tammy Ralph 3 years ago
My grandson is eight months old and my dog is having none of it, he is so jealous of him that I will not leave them in the same room even to run get something. It's been like this from the first day the baby came home, I thought he might have come round by now but no.
*sigh*, The Yellow Teletubby 3 years ago
ok off topic, I have no education on babies, can someone pLEASE tell me why all of the fresh ones look crusty?? Like I thought they were supposed to be smooth and squishy
just let me sleep 3 years ago
What's up with this cat-dog animosity? I had a dog for 18 years, loved him to no end and fell into pieces when he had to be put down. I now have two cats and love them both exactly as much too. My life looks different now so cats are easier to maintain, but the love and friendship is the same, no matter who it comes from.
Marcia Cash 3 years ago
My husband's mother never let him have pets, so he was grown before he turned into a dog boy. He plays ball with them until everyone is worn out. Chica-LeeM...d4a474.jpg
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
Who actually cares? If you're here for the likes then ask yourself why that is so important.
Load More Replies... troufaki13 3 years ago
I don't like the title of this post. What the h3ll does it mean if you don't like dogs then you're a cat? A cat would never say something like that for a dog! :D But yes, it is great when a child grows up with a PET!
Janine B. 3 years ago
Exactly. Everytime someone asks me if I like cats or dogs better I'm just like "Yes."
Load More Replies... Naoko Yamaguchi 3 years ago (edited)
When I have a baby child, I will give him/her a dog as his/her friend. The child will learn the importance of true kindness, pure friendship, and an ingenuous smile. When he/she grows up to be a teenager, he/she will learn sadness at death and preciousness of life.
manon M 3 years ago
pitbull or labradoodle. it's the same. let the dogs quiet.
Load More Replies... sturmwesen 3 years ago
The "buying" or "adopting" is not the realy expensive part. You need to afford food, vet care and maybe a dogwalker. I was seriously struggling moneywise when my first dog got heart problems and cauda equina. It can be hundreds of dollars/euros a month and if it needs extensive as my last dog did it can be thousands in a few weeks.
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