Photograph of Child with her Dog

Photographs of Kids with their Pets and the Benefits of Raising them Together

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For National Kids and Pets Day, I wanted to show some of my favorites photographs of kids with their pets. I love photographing the special relationship between a child and his or her pet, usually a dog but sometimes a cat. Two calls that I got from clients that I will never forget were: 1) I want you to photograph my high school senior with her best friend of 15 years, a Tabby; and 2) “I want you to photograph the two joys of my life, my 18-month-old daughter and my Boxer.” Both calls made me so happy—I love when people feel that way about their pets. It always makes me sad when people have pets first and then a child and the pet basically gets forgotten.

When my now 13-year-old son was younger, he said that he had two brothers and two sisters. Which was true. But they all were the four-legged kind. He is a kind and compassionate person, and I truly believe that having pets has helped teach him those skills. Pets have always been a part of his life, and the only time I’ve even seen him treat an animal even somewhat unkindly was when he was petting one of our cats and she walked away from him. He wasn’t walking yet and wanted to keep petting her so he grabbed her by the tail to pull her back to him.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, some of the benefits of raising children with pets include:

  • Caring for a pet can help a child develop certain social skills.
  • Good relationships with pets can help children develop trusting relationships with people as well as aid in the develop of non-verbal communications, empathy and compassion.
  • Pets provide a connection to nature and teach respect for other living things.
  • Children who feed, walk and play with their pets can learn responsible behavior.
  • Pets provide lessons about life: birth, illnesses, accidents, loss and bereavement.
  • Increased physical activity when walking a dog or playing with a pet.

My son has experienced all these benefits, although I do admit that some of the “responsible behavior” aspects are a challenge. If you have children and pets, what have you seen as the greatest benefit your child has experienced?

Ellen Zangla Photography—Specializing in pets and the people who love them.

2015 Silver Medal Photographer of the Year: Professional Photographers of America