Early exposure to dogs may reduce the risk of asthma in children. A new study found children in homes with a family dog during their first year of life had a 13% lower risk of asthma by the time they were old enough for school. The researchers speculate early exposure to a wider variety of microorganisms (via the family dog, in this case) helps build a more robust immune system that is less susceptible to some of the environmental causes of asthma attacks.
JAMA Pediatrics, November 2015