Image: Shutterstock
If you’ve ever had dogs or have a dog, you’ll probably agree that they are the happiest creatures on the earth. They enjoy every minute of their life and spread joy and cheer to those around them. Dogs bring life to a home and help turn your day around. Having a pet dog teaches you several important life lessons like loyalty and unconditional love. They help you imbibe these qualities and teach your kids life lessons and virtues that might help them throughout their life. One study showed that pet dogs provide valuable social support for kids and help reduce their stress levels (1). Without further ado, let’s look at 7 virtues that your kids learn when they grow up with dogs:
1. Gratitude
Image: Shutterstock
Have you noticed how grateful dogs are? You just have to feed them and play with them, and they’ll shower you with gratitude for life. Your kids can learn the importance of practicing gratitude every day from their little fur babies, which is an essential part of a happy life.
2. Responsibility
Image: Shutterstock
Owning a pet is a big responsibility. You have to feed them, take them for regular walks, play with them, and take them to the vet for regular checkups. You also have to make sure your dogs are clean and maintain good hygiene, which requires regular baths and brushing their coat every two days or so. You kids will learn to develop responsibility by taking care of their pets.
3. Unconditional Love
Image: Shutterstock
No love is as pure as a dog’s love. If you own a pet dog, you know how much they adore you. You are their world, and they are nothing but excited and happy to be around you. In a world filled with self-centered people, your kids will learn to love purely and unconditionally if they have a dog.
4. Acceptance
Image: Shutterstock
Your dog accepts you for who you are. They don’t care if you’re fat, thin, ugly, beautiful, tall, or short. They love you and accept you for the person you are. Even when you’ve made a mistake, they do not judge you for it. The world is trying to change you every chance it gets, and a dog can teach your kids to accept themselves and others for who they are.
5. Loyalty
Image: Shutterstock
If there’s one thing that a dog can teach you, it’s loyalty. It’s in a dog’s nature to be loyal because they are pack animals, meaning they are social creatures. A dog is loyal to its leader (owner), and that’s something every human being can learn.
6. Mindfulness
Image: Shutterstock
You see many people practicing mindfulness in today’s world. If you want to break out of the hundreds of thoughts that have been racing through your head, mindfulness is one way to do it. The best way to learn how to be mindful is by observing your dog. When you take them out for a walk, notice how present they are in that moment: “Is that another dog? Oh, that’s a cat! Squirrel! Oh, grass. Here’s a fly! I smell pee”.
7. Forgiveness
Image: Shutterstock
Your dog is your best friend. You probably forgot to take him to the park like you promised him you would, or you stepped on his tail by accident. Your dog doesn’t hold grudges and forgives you in a minute. As your kids grow up, they will probably encounter a lot of people who do them wrong, and instead of holding grudges, they’d probably forgive them and move on, just like your furry pet.
They say that a dog is a man’s best friend. Studies show that kids who own pets have better health and fewer learning/behavioral problems. It also showed that they are more obedient, less moody, and more likely to be physically active (2). Your kids will never be bored because they’ll always have someone to play with, and they are likely to grow up into compassionate and caring adults. What are some things your dog has taught you? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
