Studies have shown that even small interactions with dogs cause the human brain to produce oxytocin, a hormone often referred to as the “cuddle chemical.” Oxytocin increases feelings of relaxation, trust, and empathy while reducing stress and anxiety.
Spending any time with pets is associated with a happiness decline about one-third as large as living with your parents, and about one-fifth as large as being disabled or unemployed. Having a pet reduces happiness by about half as much as being married increases it.
Moreover, in Belgium, the average pet owner was found to be 172.8 percent happier than the average person, followed by Canada (158 percent), and China (150 percent). In the United States, pet owners had an average happiness score of 70.7, and they were 87.3 percent happier than the average person.
Reduce stress.
Research has shown that simply petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol , while the social interaction between people and their dogs actually increases levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin (the same hormone that bonds mothers to babies).
Dog Quotes: Best Quotes About Puppies- “Everything I know I learned from dogs.” – Nora Roberts (author, The Search )
Pets, especially dogs and cats, can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve your cardiovascular health. Caring for an animal can help children grow up more secure and active. Pets also provide valuable companionship for older adults.
People who said they were dog lovers in the study tended to be more lively – meaning they were more energetic and outgoing – and also tended to follow rules closely. Cat lovers, on the other hand, were more introverted, more open-minded and more sensitive than dog lovers.
Your canine companion can offer comfort and ease your worries. Multiple studies show that dogs and therapy dogs help alleviate stress and anxiety. Even just petting a familiar dog lowers blood pressure, heart rate, slows breathing, and relaxes muscle tension.
The average happiness ratings per type of pet are as follows:- Horses: 7.37.
Scientists have also observed that interacting with animals increases levels of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin has a number of important effects on the body. It slows a person’s heart rate and breathing, reduces blood pressure, and inhibits the production of stress hormones.
Looking at data from studies between 1950 and May 2019, they found that dog owners live longer than those without a dog. The benefit was greatest for those who had a history of heart attack and there was a 65% reduced risk of mortality.
He learned that (1) the scent of a familiar human activates the “pleasure and reward” regions of a dog’s brain, and (2) a dog’s brain reacts to their human the same way we react to seeing our human best friends. In other words, “They don’t just see us as ‘part of their pack as dogs,” Berns says.
Well, for the most part, dogs do like to use petting as a way to bond with their owner. According to Paws for People, “It’s well-known (and scientifically proven) that interaction with a gentle, friendly pet has significant benefits” for both the human and the dog.
There is a scientific basis for this: domestic dogs are descended from wolves, which man once took in and tamed with shelter and food in return for them acting as guard dogs. This reciprocal relationship remains in your dog’s genes and their loyalty is a by-product of it.
Science proves that part of the canine brain is associated with positive emotions and they do, indeed, feel love for their human companions.
Cute Dog Quotes- “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.” –
“Animals have come to mean so much in our lives.
“No matter how you’re feeling, a little dog gonna love you.” –
“There’s a saying.
“When the dog looks at you, the dog is not thinking what kind of a person you are.
You don’t have to tell dog lovers the feeling is both mutual (and very real), but a new study published in the journal Science reveals the fascinating reason why we feel so close to our furry companions: When humans and dogs look into each other’s eyes, both get a boost of the feel-good hormone oxytocin, which is the …
Dogs Loyalty Quotes- “The greatest fear dogs know is the fear that you will not come back when you go out the door without them.”
“My purpose, my whole life, had been to love him and be with him, to make him happy.
“To be sure, the dog is loyal.
“Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog;
Studies show that dogs reduce stress, anxiety and depression; ease loneliness; encourage exercise and improve your overall health. For example, people with dogs tend to have lower blood pressure and are less likely to develop heart disease.
The research concluded that the bond between humans and dogs reduces stress, which is a major cause of cardiovascular problems. Dogs make us happy. In fact, even just looking at a dog can make you happier. A study in Japan in 2009 found that just staring into your dog’s eyes raises your level of oxytocin.
Watchdogs – they are trained to alert their owners whenever they sense an intruder. Guard dogs – they are trained to charge and pin down any perceived threat. Protection dogs – they are trained to attack intruders, but not as a natural born instinct as compared to guard dogs.
Their senses are far more heightened than humans - their sense of smell is more than 10,000 times better than ours! All of this contributes to how they respond to people, such as dog lovers. Yes, it’s true, dogs can most definitely sense when someone is a lover of all things animals.
Though this data might seem to suggest that dogs are twice as intelligent as cats, a direct correlation between larger brain size and increased intelligence has not been conclusively proven. Regardless, dogs’ higher neuron count is often viewed as a gauge of their superior intelligence.
People who said they were dog people in a study tended to be more energetic and outgoing. They also tend to follow the rules closely. Moreover, dog lovers tend to have qualities associated with dominance such as assertiveness, self-confidence, forcefulness, and persistence.
Top 5 Reasons You Should Own a Dog- A dog will clean up your kitchen floor.
A dog is the perfect exercise partner.
A dog is a great primer for parenthood.
A dog can make you feel safer in your own home.
A dog will be incredibly loyal to you and your family.