New research shows that having a dog around the house could help teenagers facing mental health challenges.
Researchers at Azabu University in Japan studied 343 teenagers in Tokyo. Ninety-six were dog owners, and the rest weren’t.
The team found that the teens who owned dogs by the time they were 13 years old had significantly lower social problems than their peers who didn’t have a dog.
Dog owning teens also scored lower in withdrawal, aggression and delinquent behavior.
The study also highlighted that those who owned a dog during adolescence scored higher on companionship and social support measures as they grew older.
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