How do our pets help us? Let me count the ways:
* Any dog owner knows that our pets help us emotionally, psychologically, and socially. Dogs can also comfort us when we have a serious illness or there is a death in the family. Turning to your pet for comfort when a friend or family member dies can help alleviate the depression that normally accompanies the loss of a person close to you.
* Dog owners are less likely to feel afraid of being victimized when walking their dog and also feel safer just having a dog around the house.
* Dogs help us relax by taking our attention off our current problems and fears. A pet dog sitting by your side is comforting and relaxing for both the dog owner as well as the dog. Having a dog you can touch and caress is important when the daily grind gets you down. Many studies have shown how important touch is to a human’s physical and emotional health. And it doesn’t need to be the touch of another human; it can be your dog. A pet dog can lessen feelings of loneliness and isolation by providing unwavering companionship.
* As humans we want to feel needed and have someone or something to care for deeply. Caring for a pet dog provides consistency and emotional support to our lives. Friends may come and go, but for a dog’s entire life it will be your best friend. Dogs give us the experience of unconditional love which most people will never receive from another human. Perhaps humans are incapable of always giving unconditional love since we always have our own agendas and needs, whether we realize it or not. A pet dog can influence how you feel about yourself and your life.
* Dogs are teachers and healers of extraordinary talent.
* Things can be going really bad out there in the rat race, but once you come home, that furry, four-legged confidante and friend can bring a sense of peace and calmness to your rattled day.
* They shower us with love.
* They amuse and entertain us.
* They comfort us and make our lives better in so many ways.
* They help our soldiers stationed in Iraq who are missing their loved ones back home. The stray dogs adopted by so many soldiers are the best companions and friends some of the enlisted men and women have. More than 300 stray dogs from Iraq have been adopted and now have new homes with their pet parents in the U.S.
* They bring peace and comfort to people who are in nursing homes, children who are in hospitals, and even the poor souls in nursing facilities who are suffering from the ravages of Alzheimer’s.
Our pets help us in so many more ways. There are thousands of inspirational stories available on the internet and in book form. As for me, I could never do without my dog. No matter how much I love him and pay attention to him, I always feel as if I’m the one that’s truly blessed – receiving more love than I can possibly give in return.