Research investigates the relationship between children and dogs in their everyday lives.

“It took a week for the lipstick to come out of his coat,” a woman in her mid-thirties says, pointing towards the golden retriever sleeping on the other couch. “When I asked her about it, she said they were sisters getting ready for the party together—more like partners in crime, if you ask me.”

The diverse relationships that children have with their family dog has recently been the subject of a study at the University of Thessaloniki, Greece. By accessing children’s own personal experiences, researchers were able to uncover a number of ways that dogs can change children’s lives for the better, extending far beyond the role of a mere pet.

Study details

The study included 13 children, aged between 7-12 years, who had lived with a dog for the past 3 years. Using qualitative research methods to understand the lived experience of participants, the research aimed to understand the children’s experiences and interpretations of living with dogs via the use of semi-structured interviews, drawings, videos, and diaries.

Analysis of the material revealed 3 central themes in the child-dog relationship: facilitation of routines and habits, contribution to family dynamics, and emotional support

Facilitation of routines and habits

In this theme, children described the role that their dogs had in structuring their daily activities. Whether it’s waking them up in the morning or greeting them after school, dogs help mark transitions throughout the day, making routine activities more enjoyable and comforting.

“I wake up in the morning, Chance [dog] is usually under my bed, I have a place for her there. When I wake up, I pat her and sometimes I take her out for a walk. Then, I might go to school with Chance or my dad comes with Chance to pick me up [from school] at a quarter past four. […], we come home, we eat, I feed Chance canned or sometimes dry food and we sit together. Then, I do my homework and sometimes Chance sits next to me. Well, at night she often comes to my bed, um, very often. In short, she is like a sister to me.”

Contribution to family dynamics

This theme captured the influence of dogs as mediators in family conflicts by providing a distraction or comic relief which helps ease the tension. In this situation, dogs can facilitate communication between family members, influencing family dynamics and enhancing cohesion.

“Once, my brother was arguing with my Mum and Ted [dog] was outside the room, they were arguing about homework, and so they were both shouting, and Ted barked once. Then they laughed [laughs] and I did too in my room where I was sitting. I went to look, and okay, then they were generally calmer. Later, there was no tension.”

Emotional support

Children described their dogs as providing significant emotional support and comfort in their daily lives. They valued the dogs’ constant availability during their daily lives and being able to turn to them whenever needed.

“Yesterday I fell and hurt myself and Ollie [dog] came straight up to me to see what had happened. He sat next to me to comfort me, and I realised what a trustworthy dog he is.”

More than a pet

The findings of this research showcase the power and complexity of the child-dog bond. Children described their dogs as playing a big role in their lives, with a constant presence that facilitated the maintenance of their daily routine. Dogs were also described as providing strong support during stressful periods, contributing to their emotional resilience. This mediating influence was also highlighted in the context of family dynamics, where dogs were able to diffuse tension and facilitate effective communications between members.

Overall, these results provide further support for the therapeutic and developmental benefits of children-dog interactions. By giving voice to the children’s personal experiences, the study was able to isolate what aspects children valued in this relationship which could be used to improve their experience of growing up with a dog.

*All names in this article have been changed

Key study findings:

• Children described the role that dogs had in facilitating routines and habits
• They also explained how they contributed to family dynamics
• Dogs provided children with emotional support in daily life