9 Surprising Ways Having a Dog Benefits Your Kids

September 11, 2015

1. Dogs are natural stress-busters. “All the research I’ve seen on the subject says that there’s almost no better way to help a child deal with stress than with the company of a loving pet,” says Denise Daniels, a parenting and child development expert who specializes in the social and emotional development of children.

2. They teach responsibility. Even at a very early…

Ana Connery is an accomplished storyteller whose writing has appeared in a variety of magazines and websites, including Yahoo! Parenting, Parade, and the Huffington Post. Formerly the content director of Parenting, Babytalk, Pregnancy Planner, and Conceive magazines as well as parenting.com, she’s also held senior positions at some of the country’s most celebrated magazines, including Cooking Light, Latina, and Fitness. Ana frequently appears on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," and CNN as a parenting expert. She has interviewed the country’s top pediatricians, psychologists, and educators, including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as celebrity moms including Jessica Alba and Bethenny Frankel. You can find her on Twitter (@apconnery) and Instagram (@apconnery).