Pets & children

The effects of the presence of a companion animal on physiological arousal and behavioral distress in children

anthrozoology — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:36:21 -0500

Nagengast, S. L., M. M. Baun, M. Megel, and J. M. Leibowitz.

Journal of Pediatric Nursing, v. 12, p. 323-30, 1997.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the presence of a companion animal on physiological arousal and behavioral distress exhibited by preschool children during a routine physical examination. A within-subject, time-series design was used to study 23 healthy children ages 3 years to 6 years during two physical examinations, with and without a dog. Statistically significant differences were found with greater reductions in subjects' systolic and mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and behavioral distress when the dog was present. Findings support the use of a companion animal in reducing stress experienced by children during a physical examination.

Is dog ownership or dog walking associated with weight status in children and their parents?

anthrozoology — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:02:58 -0400

Health Promotion Journal of AustraliaApril 2008 Volume 19, No 1

Anna Timperio, Jo Salmon, Binh Chu and Nick Andrianopoulos

Issue addressed: Several studies have shown that dog owners do more physical activity than non-owners; however, associations with weight status are unknown. This study examined associations between dog ownership, frequency of dog walking and weight status among children and their parents.

Methods: Height and weight were measured for 281 children aged 5-6 years and 864 children aged 10-12 years. One parent reported their own and their partner's height and weight (n=1,108), dog ownership, usual frequency their child walks a dog, and usual frequency of walking the dog as a family. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for sex (children only), physical activity, education, neighbourhood SES, parental weight status (children only) and clustering by school.

The People, Pets and Planning Symposium

anthrozoology — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:32:57 -0400

In the fast pace of modern life, humans are experiencing health challenges at an unprecedented rate. Disease as a consequence of lifestyle is now common and is predicted to steadily rise. Obesity, mental illness and physical inactivity are all creating an increasing burden on our economy. Turning this trend around will require new thinking.

Research in public health has shown that restoring our connections with each other and with our environment will have benefits for individual health and for the community as a whole.

We now know that some of the simplest pleasures in our lives are among the most important to our health and wellbeing. Walking in our neighbourhood, interacting with people and animals, enjoying the natural environment have all been shown to play a significant role in supporting physical and mental health.

Dog ownership and contact during childhood and later allergy development

anthrozoology — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:17:22 -0400

European Respiratory Journal 2008; 31:963-973

C-M. Chen, V. Morgenstern, W. Bischof, O. Herbarth, M. Borte, H. Behrendt, U. Krämer, A. von Berg, D. Berdel, C. P. Bauer, S. Koletzko, H-E. Wichmann, J. Heinrich and the Influences of Lifestyle Related Factors on the Human Immune System and Development of Allergies in Children (LISA) Study Group and the German Infant Nutrition Intervention Programme (GINI) Study Group

CORRESPONDENCE: J. Heinrich, E-mail: joachim.heinrich@helmholtz-muenchen.de

The effect of dog ownership during childhood on the development of allergy has been investigated in few studies with conflicting results. The association between dog contact and indoor endotoxin exposure during infancy and the development of allergic sensitisation and atopic disease up to age 6 yrs was investigated.

The role of therapy dogs in speed and accuracy to complete motor skills tasks for preschool children.

anthrozoology — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:52:59 -0400

Gee, NR; Harris, SL; Johnson, KL;

Anthrozoos. 2007. 20: 4, 375-386.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence of a therapy dog would affect the performance of a set of gross motor skills tasks for a mixed group of language-impaired and typical pre-school children. The 14 children in the group were between four and six years old (four female and ten male); the two dogs were Miniature Poodles. The design was a two-way mixed model factorial, where a series of 10 gross motor skills tasks (e.g., long jump, high jump - labeled Type of Task) performed by the children served as one variable, and the presence or absence of the therapy dog (labeled Dog Presence) served as the other variable. In the dog-present conditions, the dog either performed the task immediately prior to, or at the same time as, the child. Time to complete each task and the accuracy of task performance as determined by a rating scale were determined from a review of experiment videotapes. The main effect of Dog Presence was significant (F_(1,36)=7.471, p<0.05, R²=0.17). As predicted, the children completed the tasks faster when the dog was present (M=10.88 s, SD=9.84) than when the dog was absent (M=13.86 s, SD=12.64), but this effect was not present in the ratings data. This indicates that the presence of a therapy dog served as an effective motivator for the children, who performed faster, but without compromising accuracy, in all tasks but one. The interaction between dog presence and type of task was also significant (F_(9,71)=3.67, p<0.05, R²=0.32) in the ratings data, indicating that the presence of the dog increased performance accuracy in some types of tasks, while decreasing it in others. Based on these results and the strong connection between motor skills and language development, the authors recommend a role for therapy dogs in speech and language development programs for pre-school children.

Social Effects of a Dog's Presence on Children with Disabilities

anthrozoology — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:19:34 -0500

Esteves, Stephanie Walters; Stokes, Trevor

Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, Volume 21, Number 1, March 2008 , pp. 5-15(11)

Productive and positive interactions between dogs and humans have been documented in studies using dogs trained as companion animals and as assistants for people with disabilities. In this study, the effects of the presence of a dog on social interactions between three 5-9-year-old children with developmental disabilities and their teacher at an elementary school were analyzed. A single-case experimental design with repeated measures and with replicated effects across participants was employed to assess changes in interactions from baseline to an intervention condition. During baseline, interactions were assessed in the social environment of a room adjacent to the classroom, which had a toy dog and other play materials, during time with the teacher. The experimental change introduced sequentially and systematically across the participants was the additional presence of an obedience-trained dog, a German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever cross. Interactions between the children and their teacher were examined during morning sessions using reliable direct observation interval recording procedures. All participants demonstrated an increase in overall positive initiated behaviors (verbal and non-verbal) toward both the teacher and the dog. The children also showed an overall decrease in negative initiated behaviors. In addition, observational ratings showed positive generalization of improved social responsiveness by the children in their classroom following the completion of the experimental sessions. This study supports the position that children with developmental disabilities benefit from the use of skilled dogs as teaching assistants and therapeutic adjuncts.

The Relation between Socio-Economic Status Concerns and Angry Peer Conflict Resolution Is Moderated by Pet Provisions of Support

anthrozoology — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:16:13 -0400

The Relation between Socio-Economic Status Concerns and Angry Peer Conflict Resolution Is Moderated by Pet Provisions of Support

Bryant, Brenda K.; Donnellan, M. Brent

Anthrozoos: Volume 20, Number 3, September 2007

Conflict resolution is a critical skill required in peer relations, and anger retaliation is a problematic strategy for resolving conflict. Conflict resolution with peers in relation to socio-economic status (SES) concerns among boys was investigated. Of particular interest in this study was a test of the value of pet provision of feelings of importance and pride in relation to children's use of an aggressive style of conflict resolution with peers. One hundred and seven boys, in grades 3-7 (ages 8-13 years) participated in this study. Boys' self-reports of the extent to which their favorite pet made them feel important was of central interest. Three specific pet provisions of support were considered: a) a pet showing admiration and affection, b) a pet being an object of nurturance while providing companionship, and c) a pet providing an exclusive, intimate relationship by "listening" to a boy sharing of feelings. Results indicate that the pet provision of child self-enhancement provides a buffer to boys with SES concerns in relation to their use of anger retaliation with peers. Unlike pet provision of admiration with affection (i.e., child self-enhancement), pet provision of support as an "object" of child nurturance and enjoyable companionship was not related to anger retaliation among boys in general or among boys with SES concerns. This demonstration of differential effects of pet provisions of support attests to the importance of delineating what constitutes support and testing the function of different forms of support. Interpretation of findings include a discussion of theoretical perspectives proposed useful for understanding the role of pets in child development.

And Then the Dog Died

anthrozoology — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:51:38 -0400

Kenneth R. Kaufman a; Nathaniel D. Kaufman b

Death Studies, 30, 1 2006 , pages 61 - 76

Childhood grief and mourning of family and friends may have immediate and long-lasting consequences including depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, behavioral disturbances, and school underachievement. Childhood pet bereavement is no less important, because the pet is often considered a member of the family by the child. However, society does not always acknowledge the significance of pet bereavement, which can result in unresolved grief. This article, a case analysis with literature review, addresses childhood pet bereavement in the context of multiple prior losses (K. R. Kaufman & N. D. Kaufman, 2005). This case mirrors both old and new findings in grief research and therapy: (a) beneficial response to emotional expression of grief in context of search for meaning; (b) beneficial response to cognitive approach toward grief with ability to prevent development of complicated grief even in the face of multiple losses; (c) beneficial effects associated with supportive family and with positive self-concept; (d) intensity of grief magnified by the child's degree of attachment to the pet, the suddenness of the pet's death, the multiple prior losses, and the role of the pet in the child's life; and (e) resiliency. This case further emphasizes the need for parents not to trivialize death of pets, to appreciate the role pets have in children's lives, and to assist the child in multiple approaches toward expression (be it verbal, written, or artistic). Finally, this case reinforces the ability of the child to assist in family bereavement and to serve as teacher.

Factors associated with dog ownership and contact with dogs in a UK

anthrozoology — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:04:25 -0400

Westgarth, C.; Pinchbeck, G. L.; Bradshaw, J. W. S.; Dawson, S.; Gaskell, R. M.; Christley, R. M.

BMC Veterinary Research. BioMed Central Ltd, London, UK: 2007. 3: 5, (3 April 2007).

Background: Dogs are popular pets in many countries. Identifying differences between those who own dogs or have contact with dogs, and those who do not, is useful to those interested in the human-animal bond, human health and for provision of veterinary services. This census-based, epidemiological study aimed to investigate factors associated with dog ownership and contact with dogs, in a semi-rural community of 1278 households in Cheshire, UK. Results: Twenty-four percent of households were identified as dog-owning and 52% owned a pet of some type. Multivariable logistic regression suggested that households were more likely to own a dog if they had more occupants (five or more); if they had an adult female household member; or if they owned a horse. The age structure of the households was also associated with dog ownership, with households containing older children (between six and 19 years of age) and young adults (between 20 and 29 years of age), more likely to own dogs. We also found that dog owning households were more likely to be multi-dog households than single-dog if they also owned a cat or a bird, or if the household contained a person of 20-29 years old. Dog owners reported increased contact with dogs, other than their own, compared to those that did not own dogs and this contact appeared to be mainly through walking. Conclusion: Some household types are more likely to own a dog than others. This study supports the suggestion that dogs are more common in families who have older children (6-19 years), as has been generally observed in other countries. Dog owners are also more likely to have contact with dogs other than their own, compared with those not owning a dog.

New data on communication behaviour between the young child and his pet dog

anthrozoology — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 18:11:30 -0500

Filiatre, J. C; Millot, J. L; Montagner, H.

Behavioural Processes. Vol 12(1) Jan 1986, 33-44.

Conducted an ethological study of interaction systems and the effect of pet dogs on family communications. Also examined were correlations between characteristics of children and their pet dogs and the duration and frequency of communications between children and their pets. Ss were 18 children (aged 2-5 yrs) and their 18 pet dogs (mean age 37.66 mo). Results from a systematic investigation of communication behavior between children and their dogs drawn from videotaped interactions in the home indicate that children took the initiative in communication more often and sought body contact more often than the dog in dog-child interactions. Age of child, family size, and size and sex of dog were strongly correlated with the quantity of communication and type of child behavior in relation to the dog. Findings confirm the hypothesis that interaction systems between the dog and child can play a role in the emotional development and relational systems of the child, suggesting that pet dogs can enhance the social and emotional development of young children.

Pets &amp; children

The effects of the presence of a companion animal on physiological arousal and behavioral distress in children

Is dog ownership or dog walking associated with weight status in children and their parents?

The People, Pets and Planning Symposium

Dog ownership and contact during childhood and later allergy development

The role of therapy dogs in speed and accuracy to complete motor skills tasks for preschool children.

Social Effects of a Dog's Presence on Children with Disabilities

The Relation between Socio-Economic Status Concerns and Angry Peer Conflict Resolution Is Moderated by Pet Provisions of Support

And Then the Dog Died

Factors associated with dog ownership and contact with dogs in a UK

New data on communication behaviour between the young child and his pet dog

Pets & children