The study is unusual because it is framed entirely in negatives. Instead of asking does having a dog boost child development, it asks if having a dog means less chance of have developmental delays.
The researchers wanted to know if having a family dog at any time was significant. Therefore, they classified families with three-year-old children as never a) having a dog, b) having had a dog before but not now, c) having a dog only just now or d) always having a dog.
Results showed that kids who have lived with a dog were less likely to have delays in:
- walking, balance, coordination and other gross motor skills,
- communication,
- problem-solving,
- personal-social skills.
Living with a dog from birth until the age of three or at some time before the age of three was especially linked to fewer gross motor skill delay. Any past dog ownership was linked to fewer problem-solving delays, and always having a dog was linked to fewer personal-social delays.
In short, young kids who live with family dogs have lower chances of some developmental delays when they turn three.
