Staff reporter
Lilyanna Hodson
A man’s best friend, a term most used to describe the bond between a dog and their owner, Dogs give companionship and can serve for safety. Dogs encourage exercise, which improves physical health and contributes to helping with mental health. A study had taken place which showed that after people had taken care of a dog for three months, they showed significant drops in blood pressure, as well as reactivity to stress. The relationship/friendship between dogs and humankind, could go back to between 27,000 – 40,000 years ago.
Dogs are often negatively described as “a lot of work, dirty and expensive.” But there are more pros to dogs than cons. In times where people are either battling depression, or loss. Dogs offer companionship, this can be shown simply by love and affection. Grade 10 student Elika Shafa “When my grandma passed away, I didn’t feel like talking to people. All I needed was the company of my dog.” Dogs’ affection for you can be shown through eye contact, which people may not notice, but it is a big part of showing love in the animal kingdom. This follows with many other ways dogs share their caring. Grade 10 student Karina Tsoy “It’s utterly amazing how much comfort dogs can give us, without even talking.” As much as family members, and or friends can support you through tough times, the up-front expressions of affection through a dog and its owner is far more precious.
Petting your dog is an easy soother, and it assists the body to release a relaxation hormone and “cuts down on levels of a stress hormone“. Grade 10 student Tida Ghorbani said “When stressed with school work, my dog keeps me relaxed by sitting beside me.” According to Animal smart, a study which took place in 2001, proved that in times of stress, those with high blood pressure who owned a dog were able to keep blood pressure levels lower than those who were non-pet owners. Having lowered blood pressure reduces serious physical health risks, such as cardiovascular problems etc. Grade 10 student Amy Brooks “My mom has always suffered with high blood pressure, after we adopted our dog. She can keep herself calm with my dog by her side.”
Training dogs goes long ways. Such as training them to become service dogs, service dogs save lives, by giving assistance to an individual who suffers with a disability. If this is not a “true job”, then I do not know what is. The jobs the dogs are given are dependent on who they are helping, and what breed of dog is suitable for the job. Guide dogs, which are most common for service dogs, are trained to help the blind and visually impaired. By helping their handlers navigate themselves in public, up and down the stairs, as well as through obstacles. Guide dog training can be traced back to the 1700s. Guide dogs follow with other service dogs, such as seizure alert dogs, Diabetic alert, autism support, and a significant amount of others. Service dogs are life saving in today’s society, and even society in the 1700s. Dogs help people with things that could be talked about forever, and work jobs just as hard as humans.
Sources:
10 ways dogs reduce stress http://10 Ways Your Dogs Help Reduce Your Stress (puppytoob.com)
Science supports dogs help with mental health http://How Science Supports Pets for Improving Your Mental Health | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)
Do dogs reduce stress http://Do Dogs Reduce Stress? | Purina
8 reahttp://8 Reasons Why Owning A Dog Is Worth The Expenses (theodysseyonline.com)sons why dogs are worth owning
10 science based benefitshttp://10 Science-Based Benefits of Having a Dog – American Kennel Club (akc.org) of owning a dog
images :
dogs and humans together for 33000 yearshttp://marketbusinessnews.com/dogs-and-humans-have-been-together-for-33000-years/116322
dogs when person is grieving https://www.cuteness.com/blog/content/do-dogs-know-when-a-person-is-grieving
dogs and soldiershttps://barkpost.com/good/pictures-of-dogs-and-soldiers/
guide dogshttps://www.cesarsway.com/guide-dog-school-1-its-definitely-not-summer-camp/