Why Dogs Are Our Best Friends, Unconditionally
By Julie Schrager
Why do we love our dogs so much? What is it about these furry animals that make them so irresistible? Of course, you might say, “he’s just so cute.” Or, “she is so cuddly.” Sure, these reasons are legitimate but did you ever think it’s because they love us? Unconditionally.
Dogs Just Get It
People just don’t cut it. I’m sorry. But it’s the truth. Dogs love us no matter what. That cannot be said about all humans. If we try to ignore our dogs, they will love us without judgment. If we feed them late, they will still give us wet kisses. They always know when we need some extra affection without even asking for it. When we are feeling ill, they are right by our side. Dogs just seem to get us, to understand us with no special language being spoken.
Let Me Break It Down
Fitness
We all need to exercise, whether we like it, love it, or hate it. Having a dog pushes us out of our home and into a regimen of walking. Exercise gives off endorphins. Endorphins make us happy. Shouldn’t this be reason enough to exercise? Or, look at it this way, you can achieve your 10K steps each day by taking your companion for walks.
Emotional Support
Research has shown that dogs help alleviate stress and anxiety. They are very intuitive and can sense when their owners are having an emotional crisis. Other ways dogs help us with emotional support are:
- reduce depression
- less frequent doctor visits
- lower blood pressure
- help us to live longer
They’re Smarter Than Us?
There’s a reason why the fire department utilizes dogs to find people and other animals under collapsed buildings due to a fire. The police department and military utilize dogs to sniff out drugs and bombs. Dogs are used to guide people who are blind. Service dogs help people with disabilities. Specially trained dogs are incredibly smart and become their owner’s best friend and companion.
They Are Wise
How easy is it for you to just take one day at a time? It’s not easy for many. Yet, dogs simply have this attitude. They are so enthusiastic about life and embrace every second of it. Consider this…our dogs inspire us to live our best life. We learn from them how to appreciate the moment and embrace it.
My Dog My Protector
Back in the 1570s, dogs were used to herd sheep. At the same time, dogs were responsible for protecting sheep. As the world continued to evolve and dogs became more domesticated, humans became the ones dogs would start to protect. They have an extraordinary sense of smell and can hear much better than humans. This is why some breeds make great guard dogs. And because dogs consider their owner a part of their pack, they will protect them to the end.
These few points give you some clarity into understanding why dogs are our best friends, unconditionally. They will love us forever. They are not nearly as complicated as us. They hold no judgment against us. We can’t do anything wrong in their minds.
We don’t deserve them.
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Julie Schrager and her husband Jeff have lived in Wellington for 20 years with their son Jake along with their two mini schnauzers, Baron and Leo. Julie is the owner of Tail Waggers Dog Walking & Training and the host of her podcast Nothing But Julie.