Why do we feel the necessity to keep dogs as pets? Why do we pass a cute puppy in the street and immediately feel the urge to stop and pet it? We as a society have moved past the use of dogs as our protectors, but now as our companions.
So what made this change? When did we as a society decide that we would spoil these creatures as we spoil our children? Well, I think it was when we realized the way dogs change our lives even scientifically.
5 science-based benefits of having a dog
- Dogs make us feel less alone:
Dogs constantly offer unconditional love and support, even when others don’t. They sit by us with their heads on our laps, while we cry.
According to one of my most used websites, American Kennel Club, “A national survey of pet owners and non-pet owners by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute found that 85 percent of respondents believe that interaction with pets reduces loneliness.” The majority of pet owners feel that their ownership has helped reduce loneliness in their lives.
- Dogs are good for your heart:
Owning a dog can help humans live longer. According to the American Kennel Club, “A comprehensive review of studies published between 1950 and 2019 found that dog owners had a lower risk of death.” This can lead to lower blood pressure levels as well as improved responses to stress-induced situations.
- Dogs help with stress
Continuing on dogs helps with stress. Many dog studies have shown that dogs help alleviate stress. By just petting your dog for 10 minutes, cortisol levels (a stress hormone) may drop.
- Dogs help with crisis
Dogs help us cope with crises, especially veterans suffering from war PTSD. According to Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, “Military veterans with PTSD do better both physiologically and psychologically when they have a service dog.” This goes further than just war veterans, but anyone suffering from trauma.
- Dogs help with becoming more active
Finally, dogs help us become less lazy. Without even realizing it, those walks you take your dog on through the local park or down your street add up. We feel encouraged to take our dogs on walks and make sure they are active, and consequently, we are too!
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Here.
Ever seen the Secret Life of Pets? After seeing that movie I questioned every move my dog made when me and my family left our house. I also wondered what impact that had on my dog. Similarly, to how dogs affect our lives, we affect theirs. Many dogs also suffer from loneliness and abandonment issues, especially after trauma.
Before my family goes out my dog harasses us begging us not to leave for two hours, but compared to other dogs who have experienced trauma and abandonment from their owners, this isn’t comparable. Dogs can experience feelings similar to people and feel fear and pain at the thought of being left alone. Pets can feel confused about being left from “their pack” or family. This can also lead to health issues such as malnutrition and starvation because domesticated animals don’t know how to hunt on their own. But don’t worry, this is not an impact of your 20-minute mall trip.
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Either way humans and dogs impact each other’s lives greatly, and personally, I could not imagine my life without my dog.
Sweet Good News. 