When was the last time you came home and your dog wasn't happy to see you?
Was there ever such a time? Have you ever come home to find no dog sniffing your door as you get your keys out, no giddy whining coming from the other side of the door, no excited barking bellowing towards you? Have you ever gone into your home and found your dog just sitting there, awake, but unaffected by your presence, indifferent to whether you are near them or not?
Unconditional Love
The love we have for our dogs is one of the purest forms of love: unconditional love. This unconditional love is unquestionably reciprocated, making the connection between humans and dogs one that is almost always unparalleled. Dogs are such sweet, kind, and forgiving animals, that no matter what you do, they will always come back up to you, happy that you are there. No matter how much you scold them, your dog will always come over to support you when you are feeling sad, and you will appreciate it. No matter how frustrated you are with them, your dog will always come back to apologize, and you will always forgive them.
No matter what, you will always have them, and they will always have you.
The list of ways in which dogs improve our lives is endless ...
Dogs reduce stress
Studies show that when around dogs, humans experience lower levels of anxiety and lower blood pressure. Additionally, dogs have been shown to increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, two hormones that help us feel calm and relaxed. A study done in the 1980s found that playing with a dog or simply petting a familiar dog slows breathing, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, and almost immediately causes muscle tension levels to lower.
Dogs improve our social lives
Speaking with other dog owners when taking your dog for a walk is not uncommon. A study was done at The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University on the relationship between the level of attachment between people and their pets and how connected those people feel in relationships with other humans. The study concluded that people who have a stronger connection to their pets feel more connected to other people as well.
Dogs keep us in shape
Dogs are fairly active animals, and being as such, they need to be walked and played with on a daily basis. While it is recommended that adults get around 2 hours and 30 minutes of exercise per week, many dog owners get 30 minutes of exercise a day just from their dog! One study found that a lower body mass index (BMI), fewer doctor visits, and fewer activities of daily living limitations were some of the benefits experienced by older adults who walked dogs.