Why are dogs so important to us?

With the PDSA (2018) reporting that 26% of the UK adult population own a dog, it’s clear that these four-legged wonders are a popular pet with families, single people, professionals and even celebrities such as Holly Willoughby, Alesha Dixon, Simon Cowell and Declan Donnelly.

Dogs are part of our everyday lives and part of our families. They provide us with love and companionship as well as much needed emotional support. They help to reduce our stress levels and sense of loneliness, boost our mood and increase our social activities (you’ll often find that people will stop to talk to you about your dog in the park).

With almost no effort at all, dogs succeed in bringing so much joy and happiness into our everyday lives. They make us laugh, comfort us when we’re upset or sick, and are always there for us, come what may. Keeping a dog can make us feel safer, and it’s less like that a burglar will break into our homes if it’s clearly home to a dog. While inviting pets into our bedrooms makes us feel safer and more secure, leading to better rest.

Not everyone understands the deep bond between human and beast though, or how much dogs truly do for their owners. Modern life is stressful and high levels of anxiety can lead to copious health problems. Interacting with dogs has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Pets can really help us relax. Merely stroking your dog for several minutes can make our worries and anxieties dissolve away. In fact, studies have verified that dog owners tend to have lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels than people who don’t own a dog, decreasing the chances of suffering a heart attack later in life.

Dogs can also help children with their emotional and social skills, making them more engaged with their peers. “Children know that a pet will love and accept them unconditionally, which builds self-esteem. What's more, research suggests that social, emotional, and cognitive development is enhanced when a child cares for a pet” (Ross, 2019).

Nothing compares to the joy of coming home to a loyal companion. The unconditional love of a pet can do more than keep you company. So naturally, as responsible pet owners, we need to ensure that our animals are kept healthy and fit, showered with love and affection, provided with proper housing and care and given nutritious food, and in return they will love you and be faithful to you until the end.

References:

PDSA (2019) ‘How many pets are there in the UK?’. Available at https://www.pdsa.org.uk/get-involved/our-campaigns/pdsa-animal-wellbeing-report/uk-pet-populations-of-dogs-cats-and-rabbits [Accessed 29 September 2019]

Ross, S. (2019) How Kids Can Learn From Pets. Scholastic. Available at https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/social-emotional-learning/social-skills-for-kids/learning-pets.html [Accessed 29 September 2019]