Pets can offer children companionship and chances to connect with animals and other people, but they are not a guaranteed way to improve a child’s health or behavior. Research on children’s outcomes is mixed, and evidence about pets’ effects on adult partnerships or family conflict is limited. Whether a pet is a good fit depends on the animal’s needs, the child’s age, and the household’s capacity to provide care.
Can having a pet help a child?
It may. A pet can be a source of companionship, and caring for or spending time with an animal can create opportunities for activity and social connection. But research does not show that every child benefits, or that pet ownership prevents or treats anxiety, depression, or other conditions.
A 2017 systematic review found associations between childhood pet ownership and outcomes including self-esteem, loneliness, social competence, social interaction, social networks, perspective-taking, intellectual development, and social play. The review found anxiety and depression results inconclusive and behavioral evidence unclear. Because many studies were observational and high-quality longitudinal research was scarce, these findings do not establish that owning a pet caused the outcomes.
What does the research say about dogs and children’s anxiety?
A 2015 cross-sectional study published by the CDC looked at 643 children aged 4–10 at one pediatric primary-care clinic in Upstate New York. Among the children analyzed, 12% of those living with a dog and 21% of those without a dog met the study’s SCARED-5 anxiety-screening threshold. The adjusted analysis also found an association between living with a dog and lower anxiety-screening scores.
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This was a screening result, not an anxiety diagnosis. Because the study measured children at one point in time, it cannot show that having a dog lowered anxiety; other differences between households could help explain the association. The sample was 96% white and came from one clinic, so the finding may not apply to all children or communities.
Do pets make children more active or healthier?
Not necessarily. In the same 2015 study, researchers found no difference between children with and without dogs in BMI, screen time, or physical activity. A dog may give a family a reason to spend time outdoors, but this study does not support a general claim that dog ownership makes children more active or changes their weight.
What can a child–pet bond tell us?
A 2024 study summarized by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development measured salivary oxytocin in 55 children and their dogs during research sessions. Children had higher oxytocin levels while interacting with their own dog than during a toy-only session; levels were also higher with an unfamiliar dog than in the toy-only condition. Family dogs’ levels rose during sessions with child companions, while the unfamiliar dog’s levels fell.
These are physiological measurements from a research setting. They do not show that every child experiences the same response, that a pet produces lasting wellbeing, or that time with a dog treats anxiety. As NIH child-development expert James Griffin put it, researchers are interested in “the subjective quality of the relationship with the animal” and how that bond might relate to health benefits.
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The studies described above focus mainly on children and their relationships with animals. They do not establish that pets reliably bring romantic partners closer, improve co-parenting, or cause family conflict. Those outcomes depend on a household’s circumstances and are not settled by evidence about children’s development.
As a practical matter, a pet adds care work that adults need to plan for: feeding, exercise, cleaning, supervision, and veterinary visits. Discuss who will take responsibility and how the animal’s needs fit with the household before bringing one home. NIH’s Layla Esposito, who oversees its Human-Animal Interaction Research Program, has said, “So there’s no one type fits all.”
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What should families consider before choosing a pet?
CDC guidance recommends weighing the animal’s needs against the household’s resources and circumstances. Consider:
- Daily care: How much exercise, attention, and routine care does the animal need, and who will provide it?
- Space and practical fit: Consider the animal’s adult size, housing needs, and whether your home and living arrangements can accommodate it.
- Long-term commitment: Consider the animal’s lifespan and whether the household can care for it for that length of time.
- Costs: Plan for food and veterinary care, including ongoing costs.
- Everyone in the home: Consider children’s ages and ability to follow boundaries, as well as the needs of other household members.
- Health and safety: Think about allergies, infection risks, and whether adults can supervise children and care for the animal responsibly.
CDC’s guidance is about matching an animal to a family’s capacity, not finding a universally best pet. A child’s interest in an animal does not mean the child can manage its care; an adult should remain responsible for the animal’s wellbeing.
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How can families keep children and pets safer?
Children younger than five are among the groups more likely to get sick from germs animals can carry, according to the CDC. Adults should supervise young children around animals and help them wash their hands after touching or playing with an animal, feeding it, handling pet food or habitats, or cleaning up after it. Keep pets healthy with veterinary care, recommended vaccines, deworming, and flea and tick control.
Safety also depends on respecting the animal’s limits. The NIH’s overview of human-animal interaction notes that animals can become stressed or tired. Teach children not to approach a pet that is showing signs of stress or trying to rest, and supervise interactions—especially with young children who may not understand an animal’s boundaries. Dog-bite prevention is particularly important for children who are still learning how to behave safely around dogs.
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