Do you remember Belle and Sebastian, the legendary animated series that kept entire generations glued to the screen? That simple cartoon symbolizes the “magical” bond between dogs and children, making them inseparable friends beyond all boundaries.
As we know well, dogs are man’s best friends, because a primal relationship is established between dog and pack leader, causing four-legged friends to become inseparably attached to their owner and never leave them. The affection dogs show, their sensitivity to their owner’s gestures, and their innate protective instinct become even stronger when there are children in the home. Children are pure little beings, and dogs can sense their nature, protecting them and forming a truly special relationship with them.
Science helps explain why this relationship is so special. In particular, recent studies have confirmed that dogs help not only children’s psychological and emotional well-being, but also strengthen their immune defenses, helping them grow strong and healthy. Contrary to common belief, children who grow up in contact with dogs are less likely to develop allergies and breathing problems. This is what emerged from a study conducted by the authoritative University of Wisconsin-Madison and published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Our four-legged friends can also provide important help to people suffering from mild depression, whether adults or children. Dogs keep children positively occupied through cuddling and play. Thus, the presence of dogs helps develop children’s emotional side, helping them better cope with separation from their parents when they go to work or are away from home, and many studies have reported that pets can help calm hyperactive or excessively aggressive children. Playing with dogs helps stimulate learning, curiosity, and imagination and, in a sense, increases responsibility. It is no coincidence that dogs are the animals most often used in pet therapy, meaning treatment for illness carried out with the help of our beloved four-legged friends.
Pet therapy with dogs is carried out especially with children, because the sense of empathy that develops is extremely strong and helps children recover from even serious conditions, such as psychological trauma or behavioral disorders. The key to success lies in the dog’s selfless behavior, as it surely senses that the child needs help and does everything possible to provide it. Physical closeness, the desire to play continually, and the ability to offer immediately perceptible protection are understood by the child in difficulty, who can open up completely and sincerely. Pet therapy also addresses children’s physical abilities, especially when problems involve paralysis or motor difficulties. In these cases, playing with dogs transforms from a moment of pure fun into a real physiotherapy session, during which the child makes enormous progress without sometimes realizing it!
There are many incredible news stories involving the relationship between dogs and children, often concerning rescues. We were struck by an event that occurred in September 2014, when the pit bull Hades saved his eight-year-old owner from a swarm of bees. The boy was playing with some friends on the bank of a river in Oregon when, after stepping on a rotten log, a real swarm of wild bees took flight. All the children managed to escape except the pit bull’s young owner, who was overcome by a panic attack and froze. Hades immediately understood what was happening, climbed onto the boy’s back, and carried him away from the swarm to safety in his mother’s arms. This event helps us understand that the dog not only sensed the natural danger posed by the bees, but also understood that the child could not move and could therefore face serious risks. Ignoring the danger, he picked him up and carried him on his back, taking him to his family. A true wonder that can help us understand how deep the relationship between dogs and children is and how incredible the nature of our beloved four-legged friends can be.