How Dogs Help With Our Sadness
The adorable secret healers of our society
Dogs have been giving humans their gift of companionship for thousands of years. If you are one of the people who shares life with a dog, you’ll know how precious every day with a dog can be.
I have always had a dog ever since I was a small child. My first dog was called Rainbow. He was a Labrador mix with unusual stripes on his back.
I learned at a young age how to care for animals. Being around different animals allowed me to develop respect and empathy for them.
As I grew older, life got more complicated. Life was confusing as a teenager; moving abroad was a turning point in my life, but the one thing that was stable in my life was the love of a pet.
My days are usually good but like most people, I would also feel down and feelings of sadness would set in. Sadness is a normal feeling that each of us feels from time to time. It’s ok to feel this way.
Fortunately, our furry friends can help us feel better. Not only are they cute, but the fact that they have no idea how cute they are, makes them even more delightful to be around with.
They gaze at us with love, but this has scientific benefits to our health
Have you ever caught your dog giving you a stare? Or have you noticed the warm feeling you get inside whenever you watch videos of puppies?
There’s a scientific reason behind this, so keep on reading!
Yesterday, I took my dog to the beach so that he could run freely. He had such an adventure- sniffing and marking stones to his heart’s content. He ran until he got tired, then he walked beside me on our way back to the car.
At home, I brought him fresh water and he fell asleep shortly. I, then went to the kitchen to work on my writing. Sometime later he had woken up, plopped himself on the chair opposite me, and just started staring at me.
He wasn’t asking for anything. He was just making eye contact…intensely.
He does this sometimes, for no apparent reason to me. He would just start watching me. I would, of course, take part in this exchange. And there we would be, human and dog looking at each other.
According to Japanese researchers, this so-called human-canine, gaze-mediated bonding increases the oxytocin in both humans and dogs. This special hormone, often called: “love hormone or cuddle hormone”, is responsible for our social bonding. This explains the warm feelings inside us during these affectionate moments with our pooch.
Who would have thought that we can access this happy hormone through this simple bonding with our dog?
They enjoy being outside and teach us to be present
Nature is so inspiring. But her beauty is often so misunderstood. It is not for documenting or social media sharing- she purely wants you to enjoy and be present. This very simple act, dogs have mastered.
The outside world offers an abundance of exploration where dogs are happy to be because they are naturally curious beings. They see, smell and hear all kinds of things and in these moments, they are entirely absorbed.
Along with this curiosity, dogs have daily needs to move around just like us. They let us know when they want to go outside, and it is usually with a bark or whine that lets us know it’s time to get moving!
This curiosity comes in our favour, especially in times when we feel sadness. Staying in one place usually doesn’t help with our state, but going outside can help to lighten the feelings we carry inside. It’s as if we’re stepping into a wider and fresher state of mind.
Dogs teach us to stay in the present moment. They show us that being mindful together (sans phones and gadgets) can strengthen the bond.
Engaging in mindful walks with our dogs are good for our mental and physical health. They have been known to help with reducing anxiety and mind chatter. It also helps to enliven our mood and inspire us to see the beauty of our surroundings, which in time can turn into feelings of gratitude.
They make us laugh
Dog have been known to make humans laugh. They are silly, playful and full of surprises. Laughing may be the most undervalued natural medicine that can lift our moods out of sadness. And dogs are generous at giving it to us!
I think that the most entertaining part of having dogs as companions is their ability to be themselves- without a care in the world. They allow themselves to be. They are unaware of the worries that we, humans have. However, they are closely attuned to how we feel. This is one of the greatest evolutions of the canine-human companionship.
It helps a lot that dogs have an adorableness that make people smile. They have no awareness of it and that is what makes them utterly adorable. We can watch them while they chew their bone, and still they wouldn’t mind. My dog does a dance around his toy before he chews it. I don’t understand why he does it, but I can only assume that it’s his happy dance. It provokes laughter in my family every time. And we like to envision how dogs would react if humans did such dance before a meal? I think they would join in!
Dogs are intelligent animals that have been our loyal companion for thousands of years. We have shared with them the world through the many facets of history and time. Their loyalty to us is incomparable and they help us through this so-called life. They never leave despite our personal struggles. They sit beside us in times of uncertainties. They willingly stay by our side; their only appeal is that we feed them, scratch their belly, provide them with a loving home and enjoy life together.
