There is undoubtedly a strong bond between dogs and humans. If you have or have had a dog, then you probably already know about it. You’ve most likely already felt that intense emotional tie that links a person to a dog.
If you haven’t, then you don’t know what you’re missing out on. In fact, dogs aren’t only good friends, but there are also many studies that show that there are lots of health benefits to having a pet dog.
Canine Qualities
Dogs have many wondrous qualities. A lot of the qualities that dogs have can actually make some people pretty jealous of them. For one thing, dogs are the best at living in the moment.
Whatever happened yesterday, or even an hour ago, doesn’t matter anymore. They just make the best of the present and what is happening now instead of dwelling on the past.
Another quality that dogs possess is sensitivity to human’s emotions and feelings. It seems like they know when you’re feeling down and can understand when you would rather not run around and play with them. Although, sometimes they can use their immense loads of energy to encourage you to stop moping about and to be happy instead.
In addition, dogs are one of the most loyal and loving creatures on Earth. Most dogs will stay by their owner’s side through thick and thin. One quality that dogs have that really makes them great companions is their tendency to love, but not just normal love. Dogs’ love is unconditional love. It’s the type of love that will always be strong. No matter how many times you get mad at it, or ignore it, or brush it off, it will still love you.
Furthermore, people’s canine companions have the sweetest habit of always being happy to see you. They will trot up to you with their little puppy smiles on, tongues hanging out of their mouths, and tails flailing wildly and uncontrollably back and forth in excitement.
Dogs can be a bit too trusting at times and be ignorant and clumsy, but that just proves how wonderfully innocent they are.
Health Benefits to Owning a Dog
Aside from being friendly companions, scientific evidence has shown that there are also many health benefits to have a dog as a pet. Dogs help people to relax and relieve stress, as well as to lower their blood pressure and help them keep themselves more active and fit.
In addition, a professor at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Lynette Hart said that, “Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have fewer anxious outbursts if there is an animal in the home.”
Also, although it may be a surprise to many people, a growing number of studies have shown that when children grow up in an environment with “furred animals” there is less of a chance that they will get allergies or asthma.
Researcher James E. Gern, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, did a study where he analyzed newborn babies’ blood, and then analyzed their blood again one year later. He found that if the infants were living with a dog in the house they were less likely to show signs of pet allergies.
The results showed that the infants without dogs had a 33% chance of showing signs of pet allergies. On the other hand, infants that did live with dogs only had a 19% chance of showing signs of pet allergies.
In addition, the babies also were less likely to have eczema, and they had higher levels of some chemicals used by the immune system, a sign of a stronger immune system and of more immune system activity. “Dogs are dirty animals, and this suggests that babies who have greater exposure to dirt and allergens have a stronger immune system,” said Gern.
Moreover, it has also been shown that dog owners with AIDS are much less likely to go
through depression than those without dogs. Judith Siegel, a researcher, said, “The benefit is especially pronounced when people are strongly attached to their pets.” Additionally, there was a study where stockbrokers with high blood pressure adopted dogs. Afterward, their blood pressure in stressful situations was lower than before they had gotten their pet dogs.
Researchers also say that dogs can be beneficial to heart attack patients. According to several studies, the heart attack patients who have pet dogs live longer than those who don’t. Also, dog owners show less signs of getting heart disease. They have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than people that do not have pet dogs.
Pet owners in many polls and studies in the United States, Great Britain and Australia have said that they believe that their pets are “good for them.” As it would be, the pet owners were right. There are many studies that show that pets are good for their owners physically, mentally and emotionally.
For the Pet Care Trust, an organization that promotes responsible pet ownership, the British Market Research Bureau conducted research to find out some of the reasons why pet owners felt that their pets were “good for them.”
The pet owners responded with many reasons. The most common response was that the owners’ pets made them laugh and thereby improved their mental health. Some other reasons were that their pets offered them unconditional love, provided compainionship, relieved loneliness, reduced stress and made them feel more relaxed.
Some dog owners have incredibly strong bonds with their dogs. Studies done by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association found that 21% of dog owners encourage their dogs to sleep in their bed. Many pet owners have even shared their unbelievable stories about the risks that they have taken to try and save their pets during natural disasters and house fires.
What are Service Dogs Trained to do?
There are many programs that use dogs to benefit people. For example, a very common organization is Guiding Eyes for the Blind. This organization gives blind people dogs that help them get around and know their surroundings so that they can cross streets among other things and activities. These dogs are known as Seeing Eye Dogs or Guide Dogs. Besides Seeing Eye Dogs, there are many other types of service dogs.
There are Assistance Dogs that are able to distinguish a variety of specific items. They can also carry things on their back, pull a person’s wheelchair and pull ropes attached to handles to open doors, drawers or pull light switches. Another type of service dog is a Hearing and Signal Dog. Hearing and Signal Dogs help deaf people by alerting them to various sounds.
Seizure/Alert Response Dogs react when a handler has a seizure. They either stay with the person or they go to get help. Some Seizure/Alert Dogs are even trained to hit an emergency button that automatically dials 9-1-1 and then to bark when they hear a voice from the speaker.
Psychiatric Service Dogs help people with psychiatric disorders to remain calm so that they can be out in public and around other people. This includes people with agoraphobia, fear of crowded spaces or enclosed public areas or people with autism who need help focusing.
Service dogs automatically gain free access to building and public transportation if they are helping a disabled person. Another type of service dog is a therapy dog. Therapy dogs are used by many organizations to do a number of things. They can go to hospitals to comfort the sick, or go to a library and be read to by children.
Organizations also have them go to nursing homes to be handled by the elderly. One thing about therapy dogs though, is that they are not automatically allowed free access to buildings and public transportation like the other service dogs.
Dogs are a part of many people’s everyday lives. We go to them for comfort and moral support. Getting a dog is a good idea if you need initiative to go out and run around for a while or go for a leisurely stroll.
They also have many health benefits for their owners and it isn’t very difficult to see why they’re loved so much and seen as part of the family. Dogs certainly do live up to their role as “man’s best friend.”
