This is a story of a dog, a human being, and their bond. Why is it in your best interest to adopt an animal into your life?
A while back, I was going through the pictures I had taken over the past Holiday Season, and this one caught my eye. I was taken aback by the sheer presence of one of my dogs. The quality of the picture itself is not so great, nevertheless, it captures her presence: I can sense the attentiveness and the focus as she looks at the person who talks, while sitting on the couch and leaning into the conversation, understanding that we might call her name any time and that she wants to be ready and support anyone who feels her kind, warm eyes on them. She is elegant, emotionally intelligent, and highly supportive. I know I am endowing her with human qualities, yet I know she is a dog, a fellow mammal. I understand that not everyone agrees with attributing such qualities, and it may seem like I am anthropomorphizing her, but I have known her since we adopted her six years ago, and she also supported me through a tough period, so I feel that she earned those flattering characteristics. We adopted three dogs, each unique, and I can write (maybe I will!) a story about each of them as well. This is a story of a dog, a human being, and their bond: I want to make the case why it is in your best interest to adopt an animal into your life as well!
For years, science has made the case that having a dog in our lives offers benefits mostly in stress and anxiety management. Once in my previous job, I was preparing for an important business trip to Asia. It had been a tough two years leading up to this trip, with long working days and new and never-ending challenges. By the time I was boarding the plane, I was mentally and physically exhausted beyond imagination. The reason why I mention this is that my dog had sensed that I was not well before I even acknowledged and accepted it. Two weeks prior to the trip, she was constantly following me everywhere. When I looked at her, she was giving me non-judgmental emotional and social support. She was validating my feelings by being there, seeing me, and feeling my pain. I kid you not, I felt safer by having her at my side (she literally was at my side). She supported me so obviously and with such care that she provided comfort so much so that I was tempted at times to measure physiological stress markers. I noted to my husband that this dog is sensing something and supporting me through it. Fast forward to my return from the trip: my deteriorating health forced me to take a halt from the workforce, and eventually resulted in focusing on my recovery and rethinking my career. That dog of mine knew it! As soon as I started to focus on my health, she no longer needed to follow me. It was almost like that was her mission for that period of my life, to make sure I take good care of myself.
Besides my empirical evidence, science also describes the many benefits of having dogs in our lives. I am sure many of the same benefits can be said about other pets, like cats, pigs, and small mammals, too. Looking into the scientific literature, the psychological and emotional benefits of having a dog (or two) are undoubtedly positive. Having a dog in our lives can reduce stress and anxiety by lowering the stress hormone (cortisol) levels and heart rate during stressful situations. Dog support can look like I described above, but I also noticed that when we have my kids’ friends over, the dogs choose a teenager who needs more emotional support. Sometimes just by lying by their feet, other times by being goofy and evoking a smile, eventually shifting the mood to a lighter one. Science says that this trait is comparable to human social support. This might come as a surprise, but when you look at a flock of teenagers and their interaction with a dog, you’ll understand the capacity of boosting the mood: teenagers might not want to interact with parents and other adults in the house, but they can rarely resist a dog’s approach with its wiggly tail. Dogs can alleviate feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Not only that, but it is unbelievably hard to stay silent, withdrawn, or reject the kindness of a dog, so dogs often encourage conversation and can foster connection between people. Just remember the typical romantic comedies’ interconnected stories about dog owners (movies like Dog Days, Poppy Love, and Merv), reminding us that dogs (and other pets too) can positively influence well-being across various challenging situations – from daily stressors to experiencing trauma. Encountering such a bond with another species is an amazingly enriching experience that I wish for everyone. So, if you are able, capable, and willing, think about adopting a furry pal for your mental well-being and for saving that animal – a win-win situation!
If anyone is interested in learning more about the relationship between dogs and humans, their bond, and the cognitive abilities of dogs, it is worth reading the books and articles of numerous ethologists, such as Konrad Lorenz, Brian Hare, Vilmos Csányi, Márta Gácsi, Enikő Kubinyi, Tamás Faragó, and Péter Pongrácz.
Photo credit: Johanna Geml
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