The unexpected psychological benefits of having a dog

I was reading an article the other day about just how beneficial it is for children to grow up with pets.

They can:
- enhance social skills
- teach children to be more co operative
- teach sharing skills
- promote a child's role playing skills
- help children to understand feelings
- be a buffer against loneliness

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/11/us/health-children-and-their-pets-unexpected-psychological-benefits.html?pagewanted=1
I have attached the above link if anyone wants to read further into this article.