Study Says Kids Prefer A Dog To Their Siblings

Do your kids argue and fight? Is there always a cold war brewing or hot conflict going on?  Looking for a way to enforce the peace? Put down the switch and get a dog!

New research shows that kids prefer their pets to their siblings and that having a dog causes the least amount of conflict in a family.

Goldfish don’t do it. Neither do cats, rats or birds but there is something special about the family dog.

Scientists from Mars Petcare, a company that manufactures dog and cat food, studied  5 dozen 12-year-old kids from 77 families with one or more pets  and more than one child living at home. When the kids were asked about their relationship with their pets compared to their siblings, they said they had stronger relationships, and less conflict, with their pets.

I concur. My Norwegian Elkhound Thor was a much better buddy to me growing up than my brother or sister.  Thor is now in Valhalla and my sis and bro are awesome folks today.

Study authors say, "The fact that pets cannot understand or talk back may even be a benefit as it means they are completely non-judgmental. 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." (Daily Mail)