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By Daniella Gray
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For many families, a dog is a beloved companion.
But new research suggests man's best friend may offer another unexpected benefit, helping babies stay healthier during their first year of life.
Scientists in Finland have taken a closer look at a long-observed trend: children who grow up around dogs tend to experience fewer infections and require fewer courses of antibiotics.
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While previous studies have documented the association, researchers have been trying to understand exactly why it exists.
The answer, it appears, could be hiding in the dust on the floor.
Researchers from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio University Hospital and the University of Eastern Finland examined 368 children from pregnancy through their first year of life.
Parents recorded weekly information about their child's health, including fevers, ear infections and antibiotic use, while scientists analyzed dust samples collected from the family home when the infants were around 2 months old.
The team focused on bacteria and fungi previously linked to dog ownership and investigated whether these microbes could help explain the apparent health advantages seen among children living with dogs.
Their findings, published in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, suggest that certain dog-associated microbes may partially protect babies against respiratory illnesses.
Eight dog-associated microbial groups individually explained between 10 percent and 23 percent of the protective link between dog ownership and at least one health outcome.
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One bacterial genus, Pasteurella, showed the strongest association with fewer weeks of fever.
Researchers also found that three related bacterial groups together accounted for about a quarter of the reduction in antibiotic use seen among infants exposed to dogs.
Interestingly, it was not simply a matter of having more microbes in the home.
The overall richness and diversity of bacteria and fungi in household dust did not appear to explain the health benefits.
Instead, the results point to specific microbes associated with dogs as the key factor.
While these microbes appeared more often in homes with dogs, they were not unique to dog-owning households and were also present in homes without dogs.
"Based on our findings, we can say that these dog-associated microbes accounted for at most about one quarter of the previously observed protective effect of dog exposure on respiratory infections in children," chief researcher Anne Karvonen told Newsweek.
Other influences that weren't captured in this study, including outdoor activities, environmental factors and the broader effects of dog ownership, may help explain the remaining association, she added.
Karvonen said expectant parents should be aware that exposure to a diverse range of environmental microbes plays an important role in the development of a child's immune system.
While maintaining a clean home is beneficial, excessive disinfection may not be. Increasingly, evidence suggests that regular exposure to microbes from natural environments can support healthy immune development, and dog ownership is one way families may encounter a wider variety of these microorganisms.
However, she stressed that decisions about bringing a dog into the family should be based on a range of factors, not potential health benefits alone.
"Rather than recommending dog ownership, they encourage families to spend time in nature and seek opportunities for regular exposure to diverse environmental microbes," Karvonen said.
Reference
Mäki JM, Kirjavainen PV, Täubel M, et al. The role of dog keeping in the home microbiota and its impact on children's health. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2026; 37:e70408. doi:10.1111/pai.70408
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Kara Dolman and Gray R. Thomas
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