Trust me, if you don’t have a dog, there’s a special kind of love you haven’t known. No wonder they are called man’s best friend.
Dogs are staunch and surprisingly loyal. They are those companions who offer unconditional support and nonjudgmental love every day. Having a loving dog is having a source of comfort that never goes out. The acceptance they give is like no other. Whether they are greeting you when you just got home or ordering food, the joy and happiness they bring into your life is truly immeasurable.
Simply put, dogs are amazing.
From service dogs and therapy dogs to working dogs and house pets, canines play a very important role in the lives of various people. Here are seven more reasons why dogs will continue to hold the title of “man’s best friend.”
They help us live a healthier life.
Numerous studies have documented the health benefits of owning a dog. Some of these benefits include a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, longer life, reduced allergies and asthma in children, etc., all of which stem from regular exercise for our dogs.
One such study is the Kardiozive Brno 2030 conducted by researchers at the International Center for Clinical Research at St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno. The study looked at the health of people who owned dogs, people who owned other types of pets, and people They didn’t have pets. They found that people who owned dogs and exercised them benefited significantly from physical activity.
“In general, pet owners were more likely to report more physical activity, a better diet and an ideal blood sugar level. The greatest benefits of having a pet were for those who had a dog, regardless of age, gender and educational level,said Andrea Maugeri, Ph.D., a researcher at the International Center for Clinical Research at St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno.
Dogs help improve mood
Dogs can help improve your mood and relieve tension. Studies have revealed that playing with a dog will raise the level of serotonin and dopamine in your system. These neurotransmitters will create feelings of emotional stability and well-being, which can help with mild to moderate depression.
Whether you’re an older adult, a patient dealing with mental health issues, or a caregiver, it’s easy to feel alone and overwhelmed. Depression is also not uncommon, a byproduct of isolation and loneliness.
In these cases, bonding with an animal can help fill this gap with social support and, in particular from dogs, unconditional love.
An Australian study of 199 patients dealing with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder found that 94% reported “anxiety reduction through tactile stimulation” thanks to a psychiatric service dog ( PAD). Additionally, 51% of patients reported that their PAD was responsible for “interrupting undesirable behavior.”
Pets can also foster human connections for their owners. Take a dog for a walk and strangers who would never dream of approaching you in other situations will strike up a conversation centered around the animal. Even a simple smile from a passerby is a connection that can brighten your day.
Dogs offer loyalty and protection
Full body wiggle. Sitting devotedly at the window until you reach the entrance. Boldly standing between you and any potential threat. Your dog shows his affection and loyalty in countless ways. But why are dogs so loyal to their people? It’s a question that dog lovers have pondered for a long time and one that scientists are investigating more and more.
The most direct answer is that dogs are loyal because we provide them with delicious food and shelter from the elements. While this certainly plays a role in dog loyalty, we do it with cats too, and it’s easy to see there’s a difference. No offense to the cat lovers among us, but felines just don’t respond to our homecomings with the same enthusiasm.
Which leads to the following explanation for the depth of dog loyalty: They are pack animals and people are their pack. Dogs evolved from wolves, pack hunters who depended on each other for survival. When dogs split from wolves, their social connections expanded to include humans, who offered them food, scratched their ears, and even invited them into warm tents on cold nights. You are the leader of your dog’s pack, and your dog appreciates the security, dog treats, and affection you provide.
There have been numerous stories of dogs continuing to visit their owner’s grave after death. This is a testament to your loyalty. They are loyal to their owners and will go to great lengths to protect them from harm. Dogs are territorial and have keen instincts that will help them react quickly if they sense you are in danger.
Dogs will keep you happy
Dogs are great company and will keep you happy. Even when you’ve had a bad day, seeing your dog wagging his tail and offering you unconditional love is sure to lift your mood.
We know that unconditional love and increased physical activity can make people feel better. But what if we could scientifically prove that dogs make us happier?
Turns out we can.
Studies have shown that even small interactions with dogs cause the human brain to produce oxytocin, a hormone often referred to as the “hug chemistry.” Oxytocin increases feelings of relaxation, trust, and empathy while reducing stress and anxiety.
That warm fuzzy feeling you get when you hug your dog? oxytocin!
Research published in the journal Sciences in 2015 reported that simply looking into the eyes causes a tremendous increase in oxytocin levels in both dogs and dog guardians.
“Of the duos that had spent the most time gazing into each other’s eyes, both male and female dogs experienced a 130% increase in oxytocin levels, and both male and female owners a 300% increase.”
Dogs are great companions for the elderly.
Dogs help reduce anxiety and depression and are excellent companions for the elderly. They are non-judgmental listeners and will provide companionship to older people suffering from diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, according to a study.
The study, which was conducted with 56 residents of two nursing homes in suburban Maryland, found that the duration and frequency of socializing behaviors (smiling, bowing, verbalizing, looking ahead, and tactile contact) increased and agitation decreased in Alzheimer’s patients who owned dogs. And what is more? They had fewer emotional outbursts and less aggressiveness than patients who did not have a dog.
Dogs have amazing talents.
Dogs play an important role in our lives. From therapy dogs that are trained to provide affection and love to people experiencing mental health conditions or facing fatal health conditions to service dogs that guide the blind and help heal scarred veterans Dogs truly are man’s best friends.
To get started, let’s talk about what service dogs are and how they work. guide dogs help the blind and visually impaired navigate the world around them. These special pups go through rigorous training (just like their owners!) at special schools, which you’ll learn about shortly.
In addition to guide dogs for the blind, there are other types of service dogs. Each service dog is rigorously trained to accommodate people with certain disabilities.
Dogs see us as their family.
No, it is not an exaggeration; neither is our imagination. Dogs see humans as family. A group of cognitive scientists at Emory University placed dogs under an MRI machine. Before their brains were scanned, the dogs were presented with different scents. Some scents were from other dogs, some from food, and some from the dogs’ human companions.
The scan showed that the reward centers of the dogs’ brains lit up more when presented with the scents of their companions, showing that the dogs recognized and prioritized human relationships.
Dog lovers have made some notable blunders in interpreting dogs’ facial expressions, for example, assuming that the often-documented embarrassed look means guilt, an emotion most behavioral experts say requires a multifaceted notion of self-awareness that dogs probably don’t have. I do not have
But, just like with the family, our instinctive hunches about the dog’s behavior are often correct.
“Sometimes our intuition about what’s going on inside dogs’ heads is right on,” said Laurie Santos, a senior fellow at the Yale Center for Canine Cognition. “For example, that dogs look to us for help, and that’s true according to studies, which is different from even their closest relatives, wolves.”
The precise desire or concern lurking in a dog’s sad gaze may not always be clear. But we can enjoy the fact that we know that our pets love us as much as we expected, maybe even more. Even if they are not full-fledged children, they see us as a family. What about us? Well, they will always be our babies.
