Research says having a pet dog helps to reduce children's stress. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that petting a dog is a greater way to help stressed kids than treating them with drugs. Researchers looked at 643 young children over an 18-month period. They found that children who have a pet dog are less stressed than children without a dog. Just twelve percent of children with pets had signs of stress. This can be compared   with 21 per cent of children with no dog. This will not surprise parents of children who have a dog. They know dogs are great for helping children to develop.

There are many things about the research that are still unclear. Researchers do not know if less anxious children have pet dogs, or if pet dogs make children less anxious. The research just showed a link between pet dogs and children's stress. Pet dogs help children start conversations. This is often difficult for children and can cause them stress. A pet dog can be a source of comfort for children. The dog can also be a friend to a small child - the pet is told all his or her secrets and stories. Sometimes a pet dog is so important that its name can be the first word the child speaks.