Here are our top reasons for loving ours!
1. Dogs make us better people
Having the paw-rental responsibility for our pet makes us think of someone other than ourselves.
We want to make them comfortable and happy – and we learn to communicate in subtle ways that our furry friend can understand. We become more tolerant, affectionate and feeling, as we know we are entirely responsible for another being, one who loves us unconditionally and depends on us!
2. Never alone
Loneliness is a very real fact of life for many people – with vulnerable groups, the elderly and infirm often feeling it the most. Aside from being bad for our health, prolonged and unwanted solitude can make us feel sad and can affect our self esteem. Aside from being a constant companion, dogs give us a reason to get out of the house. once outside, you are 80% more likely to talk to another human being if you have a dog. Dog owners create communities and unite neighbours and many argue actually form the ‘fabric’ of local societies!
3. They teach us what matters in life
Bear with me on this one. Dogs find happiness in the simplest of things – nature, walks, cuddles, food, lying in the sunshine, looking out of a car window, being told by their owner that they are ‘good.’ They don’t get bogged down by stress, bad weather or worry about things that may never even happen. In a world where we are told constantly that we must look, work, and act a certain way, it’s natural that we feel anxious and ‘not good enough.’ By finding joy in the simple things in life, we become happier people. there is a lot we can learn from a dog.
4. Good for our health
Stroking our dog releases endorphins and makes us feel calmer and happier- fact. Just ask Therapy Dogs UK or any emotional support dog charity about the benefits of visits from dogs to elderly or sick people. Aside from making us feel good, dogs give us a reason to get out of the house, every single day and walk! Walking is a fantastic form of exercise.
5. Help us connect with people
As mentioned, dog owners love to talk and a person with a dog is 80 percent more likely to speak to someone else or be spoken to than a person without a dog.
When you have a dog, you instantly become part of a community of dog owners. Like with our online Bark Park Friends and Furry Friends Facebook group, or even just by regularly visiting your local park, dog owners make friends with other dog owners.
For a blind or partially sighted person, their Guide Dog UK working dog may not only help them connect with others but with the world.
6. Dogs rock
Dogs may not be our whole lives, but they certainly do make our lives whole.
