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Pets: Good for Your Health?

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Another option for kids with allergies who want a pet? Bring home a stuffed animal instead. A study in the January issue of the AAP journal Pediatrics found that a "Huggy-Puppy" doll actually eased the stress and improved outcomes for 2-to-7-year-old children in Israel who were exposed to violence during the Israeli-Lebanon war in 2006. (And stuffed pets won't make a mess on your floor!)

If you opt for a live animal, make sure to do plenty of research before you bring one home, and choose one whose personality, size and requirements fit your needs, abilities and living situation. And don't think adding more pets will bring more health benefits. Beck says that for many people one or two is plenty—more animals do not mean more health (often, just more responsibilities). Finally, as many benefits as pets bring, it's important not to become too dependent on those animal companions, cautions psychologist Alan Entin, past president of the American Psychological Association's division of family psychology. Though they make great companions, in the end pets are still no substitute for human friends and family.

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Posted By: Omega403 @ 03/01/2009 8:48:04 AM

They're allways ready for some play and attention. My dogs have they're own exercise routine, letting me know when it's time to get up off the couch.
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Posted By: cleoj @ 10/16/2008 12:43:43 PM

I love my dog to pieces! My dog is not a barker so I never had to worry about that. He also doesn't care about any toys except his tennis balls. As long as he has those, he doesn't chew or scratch anything up. Cleaning up his poop is not that bad, we pick up the hard pieces and just hose away the rest. He does shed quite a bit but a good vacuuming does the job. My dog is also neuteured so I don't have to worry about him humping.

In return, he gives us undying love and devotion. He's like a giant teddy bear that returns your affection. Since I don't have any kids to compare with, I think he's just as good, perhaps better ;). He doesn't ask for much, he's cheap to care for, and he loves me for me!
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Posted By: ljc11779 @ 02/22/2008 4:34:39 PM

Some of the funniest stories I have heard, or told come from animal antics. My cats are perfect examples. They make me laugh all the time. My male cat has white on the tip of his tale. My female thought the white on the tip of his tale was a toy. If you have any imagination, you can figure out where that went. I smile thinking about it.