Reasons Why You Should Get Your Toddler A Dog

When we got our dog blu a few months ago we kept going back and fourth with whether it was a good idea to add a dog to our family when our daughter was still so little. For the first four months of her life we had two dogs, (if you are new to the blog go back and read about that story), but now she recently turned a year old so we weren't sure how she would do with one after not being around them for so long. I can't say it was love at first sight for the two of them, it took a few weeks for them to warm up to each other, but now they are best friends and we definitely don't regret our decision.

We are in no way experts on this subject but we thought it would be fun to make a little list of reasons why you should get your child a dog.

1. Teach them responsibility: Maddy is only 14 months but we all know children copy every little thing that you do. So when she sees me and my husband caring for blu feeding, walking, bathing, etc. we can see her absorbing what we are doing and as she gets older she will be able to take over some of the responsibility.

2. They will learn to share: Right now, it feels like we are in a never ending cycle of Maddy and Blu stealing each other's toys, food, etc but I know that one day this will get better as they both get older. This is also good for us because it will prepare Maddy for a future sibling ;)

3. They will learn respect: Maddy and Blu are always on rolling around on the floor together and chasing each other around but there are some times when neither of them want to be bothered so having a dog I think would teach a child to learn to respect other people and their personal space. This can also teach them that trust needs to be earned.

4. To keep them active: You can usually find Maddy outside barefooted and running around so I don't think we have anything to worry about right now but as she gets older I know that having a dog as a pet will help keep her moving around. There are so many things  you can do for fun exercise with a dog like going to a dog park, playing frisbee, going on a hike, and even just taking them out for a walk to potty will be so good for motivating us to be a more active family. 

5. They will always have a best friend: Everyone says "a dog is a man's best friend" but in our case "a dog is a girl's best friend" is so true. As they grow together through the years I know Blu will always be there through Maddisons good days and bad days.