Animal health pros likely have a good grasp on the value of dogs in homes. A newly published study focuses on children too young for school. Toddlers from dog-owning families who participated in the study published in Pediatric Research were 30 percent less likely to have conduct and peer problems compared to preschoolers from families who didn’t own dogs.
Source: CNN, July 5, 2020. Link. One current worry about children’s development and loneliness in the absence of friends and activities during the pandemic “fits nicely with the positive effects of dog ownership for young kids,” said Dr. Jenny Radesky, not part of the study.