A total of 1,440 minutes. That’s all the minutes we have in a given day; no more and no less no matter who we are. For much part, what we do with those minutes is almost entirely up to each of us, including with whom we spend many if not any of them. We encounter many people in our world who enrich our life experience but let’s consider that some of our life enriching relationships may come from those who are not human but rather from our interactions with other species. While my discussion in this piece is specifically aimed at dogs as pets in particular, there is much to say about cats, horses and other wonderful creatures with whom we share not only the world but often our homes. In those finite 1,440 minutes per day why should we spend some of them with a pet? While pet ownership is not everyone’s cup of tea, on the benefits of dog ownership (or even dog interaction) in particular, I offer some thoughts.
Always loyal although often maligned
The dog has been a domesticated human companion for so long as humans have recorded history. Faithful companions, loyal to their pack by natural design, they still have from time to time gotten a bad deal in some English language colloquialisms. Consider describing a fellow as a “dog” and this is not necessarily flattering. The sine qua non insult of “bitch” is nothing more than the female of the canine species, an insult so ubiquitous in our language we even extend this to the mothers of those men we wish to insult as well and do in common expression. We do also have the expressions “dog tired” and “worked like a dog” to showcase the hard-working nature of this animal so I suppose this offers some degree of redemption.
They’re good for your health
Various scientific studies have shown that dog ownership not only increases the level of human activity through increased walking but curbs loneliness in adults who live alone, particularly the elderly and in one study particularly in women. One study showed a positive benefit in particular to pet ownership in those recovering from heart attack. Therapy dogs have been used in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and nursing homes to great success. When the elderly in particular have been asked to care for pets in the nursing home setting, both mood and functionality have been observed to improve.
One study found that adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders experienced particular benefits including less depression when caring for a pet and the use of pet therapy in post-stroke treatment as well as the treatment of the mentally ill has been explored for decades with positive results.
A social connection to other people as well.
Dog parks abound in cities all over the US, Canada and Europe where strangers meet and can potentially become friends through the common bond of their pooches. Some studies actually show that women find men who own a dog more attractive than men who do not and will even overlook a degree of being a cad in the setting of caring for a dog.
A model of unconditional love and devotion.
It is not without reason that the domestic canine has been described as “man’s best friend”. In his famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie pointed to the family dog as a sine qua non example of unconditional love and devotion. Anyone who has had the joy of an excited pup greeting you at the door upon your arrival home needs no explanation as to Mr. Carnegie’s assertion. No matter who you are, what your day has been like your dog will greet you with unconditional devotion upon your arrival home. I have seen dogs protect children in danger and save human lives, sometimes dramatically in a particular incident and sometimes with the provision of companionship and devotion over their lifetime.
In a previous post on The Art of Listening I mentioned the importance of this often-overlooked skill. The dog is inherently a master listener and often gets more conversation than any of the human members of a household.
A chance to care for another life
In our life we are designed to serve others, care for others and bring joy to others and for many this service is manifest in the caring for a pet. I have seen the worry in many a patient needing urgent hospitalization concerned about who will care for their pets at home. Fortunately, in my community, as in many others, services exist to help meet this need. When we take on a pet, we take on the care of a life dependent on us often for their very survival. How we care for those who are vulnerable and in our care says a great deal about who we are as human beings. This relationship with the pet is not unilateral however as the relationships we develop with these lovely creatures bring not only benefits to the body but also the soul in those interactions we have with them. We only have so much time in this life. Time with a dog is time well spent.
Further Interesting Reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People
http://www.dogfriendly.com/server/travel/guides/dogpark/dogpark.shtml
https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19547313/how-to-make-myself-more-attractive/
Sigal Tifferet, ,Daniel J.Kruger, Orly Bar-Lev,Shani Zeller. Dog Ownership Increases Attractiveness and Attenuates Perceptions of Short-Term Mating Strategy in Cad-Like Men. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology.11(2013)3, 121–129.
Stanley IH, Conwell Y, Bowen C, Van Orden KA . Pet ownership may attenuate loneliness among older adult primary care patients who live alone. Aging Ment Health – January 1, 2014; 18 (3); 394-9
Friedmann E, Thomas SA. Pet ownership, social support, and one-year survival after acute myocardial infarction in the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). The American Journal of Cardiology. Volume 76, Issue 17, 15 December 1995, Pages 1213-1217.
Martin, F., & Farnum, J. (2002). Animal-Assisted Therapy for Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 24(6), 657–670.
Pikhartova J, Bowling A, Victor C. Does owning a pet protect older people against loneliness? BMC Geriatr – September 20, 2014; 14 (); 106.
Amanda Ward, Nicole Arol, Amy Bohnert, Rebecca Lieb. Social-Emotional Adjustment and Pet Ownership Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Communication Disorders 65 (2017) 35–42.
