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Recent studies put in evidence what important role that animals have, and especially the dog, in the growing-process of a child, in particular during the early childhood.
The natural empathy which comes to exist between a child and man's best friend has been largely documented not only as for the important aspects of pedagogic nature which this kind of relationship produces, but above all the correct psychological and social development this special friendship stimulates.
Unfortunately, very often, parents don't understand the importance an animal may have for a child, considering only the problems its presence will cause.
Moreover, more than once the same paediatricians are those who interfere, weighing in an unwarranted way, only the risks of diseases connected to the presence of the animal.
Doing so you ran the risk of depriving a child of one of the most important spurs for his cognitive growth, for his emotional development and his ability to form relationships, for the big imaginative vocabulary which develops.
The dog performs towards a child very definite roles, just to say: the emotional part, the value of its character-forming and the didactic role.
The dog, in fact, is in these moments always present in affective terms, unlike his parents who more than once don't know how to interpret and above all how to justify the changes that a child is living through; both because they are preoccupied by the frenetic rhythm of social life, and because they are unprepared for the role they are living.
And again "Fido"is once more the natural refuge, from the flight of reality, "he" in fact doesn't ever judge me and so becomes a "support" for my anxieties.
A support I referred to earlier, that is very important also during other moments of emotional and referential "doubts". A change of residence, a bad experience, the transfer from one school to a superior one.
Without going deeply into the recent neurobiologic researches, which reaffirm even more how a correct man-animal relation can be able to activate a whole series of biochemical anti-stress mediators.
I only like to remember how the animal I refer to, in special occasions, does have a relaxing function, thus increasing the security-level of a child.
If we at last consider that in today's society the "only sons" are becoming more numerous, in this contest, the dog necessarily does have an essential role of play-mate and guardian of secrets.

( Based on an article published in the monthly  " I Nostri Cani " )

 

To know this special primitive breed, read an article by Marcello Ciai, published in the January 2000 issue of  " I Nostri Cani"  (Our Dogs), official organ  of  the E.N.C.I. ( The Italian Kennel Club ) Go to the article

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