How Pets Affect Well-Being

Stress, anxiety and temporary depressive states are common for those just living their daily lives. However, studies have proven that a simple companion could change this. Having animal companions, such as dogs, have a great impact on overall health and happiness.

Spending quality alone time with an animal whether it be your own or one from a group organization bringing those pets to a public facility raises overall physical and mental wellness. Dogs are natural mediators of emotional health; this is shown to work by studies done in several nursing homes filled with elderly men and women who often feel a poor quality of life and lack of contact with the outside world. In one study pet therapy has been observed among the elderly. It shows a significant change in behavior and cognitive function when the participants spent time with dogs. This study consisted of bringing in several dogs that have been specially selected to visit patients in the nursing home and give them each some, one on one time with the dog and the handler.

During this study, the people involved were assessed, before and after spending time with the dogs for 90 minutes every week over six weeks. All of the results pointed to the fact that dogs really are a very intuitive, affectionate animal and positively affected their overall wellbeing and quality of life and happiness (E. Moretti et al., 125-128). Another study showed benefit from dogs in the elderly, it showed that the elderly functioned easier when it came to life stressors when they had a dog verse when they didn’t (Pichot, 6). Those who were involved in both of these studies had great mental and physical benefits after the study was finished. Participants who regularly were acting out due to stress or cognitive function or even other issues were significantly affected on a positive scale. They were more involved in the group activities and were overall more pleasant to be around (E. Moretti et al., 125-128). While dogs did help with the elderly, many studies that showed how they helped other people in the community have a happier life.

It is a belief that owning a dog as a pet has rather different benefits than just being around a dog. The health benefits of owning a dog can be seen as both physical and mental, however, there are typically more physical when owning a dog rather than visiting one. The studies show that dog owners are more likely to go out and walk, jog, and interact with other forms of physical activity. It has also been stated that 95-99% of pet owners felt a strong positive impact on their general health when they did things to care for their dog, like grooming, walking and petting their companion. Other studies have also shown that those who do own pets are more likely to live a longer happier more fulfilling life (Pichot, 6). However, there are situations making it more convenient to visit a dog versus owning one. Students are generally a very good example of why visiting a dog would be more convenient.

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Students are found to have the highest rate of stress and lowest self-rated overall happiness and connection to society. Frances S. Chen and his associates asked students to rate their levels of loneliness, sadness and depression and 59% of the students felt lonely, 65% said they felt sad and 37% said they felt major depression during their time in school (Wiley, 468-470). Many said that because of these feelings they found it hard to function on a daily basis. Dogs do this by raising the overall wellness and happiness of those they are around. Previous research has revealed that interacting with dogs reduces indicators of stress, loneliness, and depression. They as well help with reducing anxiety and initiating contact with the people.

The study to show this involves collecting a large group of students from a variety of studies and having them go to drop-in sessions to interact with dogs and their handlers. Initial studies have provided evidence that going to theses drop-in sessions will increase the students’ feelings of connection to society. This is shown because after the therapy session the participant's stress levels were drastically lower, and as a result, their grades started to go up and they started to become more involved in their campus life. Pets connect us to society by providing companionship to bridge the gap between society and individuals feeling isolated (Wiley, 468-470).

Dogs are like a bridge; they are a way for us to feel more comfortable connecting and interacting with people in society. It is thought that dogs provide a sense of comfort and safety not found in other living beings. Domestic dogs have been protecting and providing a sense of comfort for their humans for about 15,000 years. In 1976 humans were then buried with their pets remains (Pichot, 3-4). In the last two decades, studies have proven the benefits of companion animals. Companion animals contribute to their owner’s wellbeing in almost all situations. Many people say that their dog helps them shape their life. A study by a scientist known as Gunter, is presented by the University of Ottawa Press, stated in his research that companion animals were a bridge of social support for humans. In the study, they placed someone in a wheelchair in a very active location involving many people and did an experiment where at one point they were alone and then they put the same person with a dog. They then watched from the sidelines to see how much interaction was held with and without the dog present.

The results showed that when the dog was present more people were willing to go and interact with the subject. This is because the dog served as a bridge to the gap of interaction. This shows that dogs are a great way to allow people to interact with ease versus being afraid to make the first step to interact. Dogs provide a source of pleasure and connection to the world around them, as well as for many people the promise of hope. Research clearly shows the positive effect of dogs when it comes to getting support and increasing the overall wellness of their lives (Lund, 112). When accompanied by animals’, people are more likely to have a positive outlook and live a more fulling life.

The companionship these animals bring us is irreplaceable by any other being. Dogs are the most loving and accepting animals available. They adapt easily to situations when life creates change. They allow interaction with others without the fear of approach as well as give daily guidance on where to take the day.