When your family is starting to grow, you still may feel that you are missing something important in your life. A few years ago, seeing your oldest child walking for the first time or watching your second-born learn how to speak has brought you a great sense of joy. These are just one of the many perks of starting a family. Those are the moments that you will cherish forever. However, now that your children are a little bit older, you may be wondering why your family should have a pet. Realistically, we all wonder this question at some point or another in our lifetime.

There are many benefits to owning an animal, such as your children learning compassion, providing motivation, and encouraging physical activity throughout the home. Your family will be less prone to allergies, and it will allow your children to develop internal motivation because they have something to look forward to. Overall, having an animal will do wonders for your family, in a good way!

Today we are going to learn about all the benefits there are in owning an animal. Whether you desire to own a dog, cat, bird, or rodent, all benefits will apply to your life in some form or another. Overall, having an animal that you can call a part of your family is such a great joy. So, let us learn all there is to know!

1. You Will Learn Respect

When your animal is eating or sleeping, you know that it is time for them to be left alone. Your children will quickly learn that they should not mess with your animals during the times they eat and sleep. Animals have minds of their own, and they may or may not be comfortable with this. That in itself will teach them to learn respect and kindness.

Seeing how your children will develop this, they will eventually learn to not bug you about eating a million cookies or grasp that bothering you about something mundane, like a toy seen on the TV, is just a no-go.

2. Boosts Your Self-esteem

Studies have shown that owning an animal growing up will boost your self-esteem. They will provide better support emotionally and physically. Anyone who grew up with animals can feel the value of their pets’ companionship instead of those who have never owned one.

Not only that, but your animals have an excellent sense of understanding when you are feeling up or down. Even cats who do not care to be around people will be more than likely supportive of you when you feel emotional and in need of comfort. This helps your family feel better and provides a level of self-esteem that is not given if you do not have a pet.

3. Provides a Sense of Loyalty

Owning a pet does not only provide support within the animals themselves, but to you. Nevertheless, pets will always show their loyalty in protection, empathy, and affection for you. Being with your animals and loving them alone will develop loyalty towards you and other members within your home.

Not only that, but there is always a sense of urgency when coming home from school or work knowing that your cat, dog, bird, or whatever you choose to own will be at home waiting for you. Dogs, in particular, are incredibly loyal animals and will do anything in their power to please their owners.

4. Boosts Physical Activity

If you have chosen an animal who LOVES to run around and play with, then you can bet that your family will be more physical because of it. Some dog owners will always tackle them and vice versa. Not to mention a fun game of tug-o-war. Dogs’ jaws are powerful, so it could be hard to get, which boosts physical activity.

Even with cats who love to chase their string toys around, you will find that running around the house, if you are allowed, will be more physical than just simply watching TV on the couch all the time.

5. You Get to Learn Patience

Have you ever tried to potty train a puppy or help a cat learn to pee and poop in the litter box? That alone provides a lot of patience and understanding that your animals are learning how not simply to go potty all over the place.

Not only that, but if you are attempting to teach your animal new tricks or, in some cases, help your bird learn how to speak a new word, then that in itself will require a lot of patience. You’d be surprised how long your child can wait for something to happen. Even in this instance, your children alone will be teaching YOU to be patient on certain things! Maybe even with them under certain circumstances.

6. Betters Your Social Skills

If you have ever been to a park with your children, odds are, there is at least one person there with their dog. How many times have your kids wanted to come up to that animal and pet it? Usually, it is more often than not. Animals being out and about places in itself allows you and your children to get better social skills. In fact, studies have shown that owning a pet can be a huge factor in making friends and finding social support.

7. Provides Better Motivation

Besides boosting physical activity, owning an animal will MOTIVATE you and your family to be more physical. If you have a dog, make sure to go on long walks with them and even go somewhere that provides hiking trails or something of the sort. This in itself will help you to become more in tune with nature and get you the vitamin D your body so longs for.

8. It Will Give You More Empathy

In times of comfort and need, your pet will grant you empathy. Not only that, but you will be more empathetic to them getting a small thorn in their paws or if your animal winds up getting stuck somewhere. This, in return, allows their owners to become more gentle and understanding towards their situations and vice versa when your children get a scrape on the knee or something worse has happened.

9. Helps Lower Blood Pressure

Having a dog can help with your heart. Pets provide a calming effect on their owners. The power of touch and more physical exercise play an essential part in this. According to Pubmed and many other studies, your blood pressure will go down when you pet a dog.

10. Pet Owners Go to the Doctor Less

Because your health will relatively be better when owning an animal, you will not need to go to the doctor nearly as often as before. In fact, being exposed to more dust and pet hair will help boost your immune system. The more pets you meet as an infant, the less likely you will be developing things such as allergies, eczema, or hay fever.

11. Gets Kids to Play Outside More

Since dogs especially need exercise, you will find that your children will be playing outside more often, especially with your animals. Having your kids run around just before or right after dinnertime is an excellent way to get their energy out before they need to go to bed.

If you have a decent-sized yard, let your children go running around with your animals. Not only will it provide a better companionship between the two, but they will also get the exercise that is needed. You can even join in to get that last bit of sunlight as well.

12. Encourages More Responsibility

Whether it be a rabbit, dog, cat, or small rodent, having an animal will require taking care of them. If your animal is relatively small with a cage, your fur baby will need their environments to be changed at least twice a week or every other day, depending on how persistent you are with the upkeep. Not only that, but just like us, they will need to be fed 2-3 times a day depending on how you provide their meals. This alone will force your children to be responsible.

13. Reduces Stress & Anxiety

Just as owning an animal will lower your blood pressure, it will also reduce stress and anxiety. If you have bad anxiety, then a dog is an excellent choice to be in your midst. In fact, interacting with your animals has been known to reduce cortisol, a stress-related hormone.

14. Owning an Animal Reduces Loneliness

Going right along with reason number 13, owning an animal will significantly reduce loneliness. Not only that, but it can help with depression issues as well. Animals will provide a lot of emotional and social support, which boosts your mood.

15. Provides More Love & Compassion

Bering, the last and final way an animal is suitable for your family is because owning one will provide more love and compassion. Families will learn to love each other and be more compassionate towards everything that goes on around them.

Final Thoughts

Overall, owning an animal is an excellent choice when it comes to being in your family. Animals are a great and perfect choice, and you will never regret having one! They will add a level of love that your children have never experienced before, and the benefits outweigh the cons for sure! We encourage you to add a fur baby to your household and wish you the best of luck in researching which animal will be best suited for your home!

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