Is Fido a wonder dog and wonder drug?

Do you have a pet or have you ever had a pet? In the USA, 70% of people have had a pet or lived with one sometime in their lifetime. What got us thinking about this subject is that some friends recently lost their dogs due to illness. We’ve had several wonderful dogs and we certainly understand pet owners’ grief. It can be similar to losing a family member. On the positive side, pets can bring so much joy and happiness while the pet is with you. Because so many people choose to have pets, we wanted to find out more about the benefits of having a pet.

We found out that research on the human-animal bond started in the 1800s in England and that there have been many studies, right up to the present. The human-animal bond is now called zooeyia and a good place to find out more is https://habri.org (Human Animal Bond Research Institute). When we talk about pets, it isn’t just about dogs. People can interact with all different kinds of animals including cats, horses, birds, fish and other pets.

If you have a pet, maybe you have experienced some of the benefits. Pets help lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, so pets are good for heart health. Pet owners have a lower incidence of obesity than non-pet owners, possibly because walking or playing with a pet encourages regular exercise. Pets help lower depression and anxiety and increase positive mood. Chronic pain and recovery from surgery are eased by having pets around. Medications can sometimes be reduced or eliminated. Oxytocin, the feel good hormone, is released when pets and owners gaze at each other. Surprisingly, dogs have been trained to detect cancer and also when a person’s blood sugar is low.

Children sometimes have less allergies if they grow up with a pet and they can learn about caring, responsibility and relationships. One study showed that among children 7 and 8 years old, they felt that a pet was their most trusted confidante.

So many benefits and pets give unconditional love! It’s no wonder that there’s research showing almost a 12 billion dollars per year saving in healthcare costs between people who have pets over people who do not own pets. Pet owners may stay healthier and visit the doctor less often.

We decided to talk to a pet owner to see how that person benefitted from having a pet. We met Kim Perkl and her dog, Olive. Kim and her husband, Joe, live in Chanhassen along with their 3 year old son. Kim is pregnant and told us they are expecting their family to grow soon because her due date is any day now. When asked about the benefits of dog ownership, Kim told us that their son loves Olive and that Olive was good with their son, even when he was a baby. She said, “One of the great benefits of having a dog is that they get you outside a lot. I think that if I didn’t have to walk her every day, I wouldn’t get outside as much. Especially in Minnesota in the winter time, it’s hard to get outside.”

Kim continued, “Another great benefit of having a dog is the companionship. They are always there, providing unconditional love. If you are a mom, like myself, the dog is pretty protective of the children as well. You know they are always keeping an eye out for your kids.” We thanked Kim for sharing the benefits that she and her family enjoy by having their dog, Olive. We could tell from how Kim treated Olive that Olive probably feels a lot of benefits, too, from being in the Perkl family. Kim agreed, “Olive is like our other child and she gets pretty spoiled.”

How about your experience with pets?

Here’s a suggestion: If you have a pet, spend more time and really enjoy your pet so you get all of the health benefits. If you don’t have a pet, research also shows that if you have someone bring an animal to you, or you go to visit one, you can also reap some health benefits. George Eliot has a quote that we like, “Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticism.” We’ve found they are also great listeners! Now you see why we said that Fido can be a wonder dog and a wonder drug. Whatever kind of pets you have or animals you encounter, we hope the interactions are beneficial. We would enjoy hearing your positive experiences with animals.

Chanhassen residents Doug and Lynn Nodland are Success Coaches and owners of The Balance Center. They can be contacted at WeCare@SharingLifesLessons.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2018 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.