Annette, a Social Work student on placement with BetterU, shares how dogs bring joy, reduce stress, and teach us life lessons about love and loyalty. Also consider checking out her first article on the Oasis Student Wellbeing Centre.
Have you ever experienced unconditional love? If you own a dog, the answer is probably yes.
The idea for this article comes from a meme I saw on Instagram, which most dog lovers have probably come across: âI prayed to God to give me someone who looks at me with eyes full of love but forgot to mention it should be a human.â Instead of a human, God gave me a dog who looks at me with those same eyes, filled with pure love.
When you become a dog owner, youâre not the owner of your life anymore. Your dog is the CEO, and youâre the assistant who keeps getting urgent requests like âwalk nowâ and âsnack immediately.â Life revolves 24/7 around your furry friend. Honestly, it becomes a movie full of adventures, fun, and drama. When youâre at home, you want to go out with friends; when youâre out, you want to rush back because your dog is waiting alone. Your treats? Theyâre not yours anymore – I bet no one can resist those puppy eyes! Theyâll shower you with cuddles and attitude at the same time. And if you think any of this sounds like my real life with my dog Happy⌠well, thatâs absolutely your imagination!
The Silent Supporters in Our Highs and Lows đś
Have you ever wondered how these little creatures are there for us during the highs and lows of life? They are the most loyal friends. It doesnât matter if we are rich, poor, sad, or happy, theyâll always be there.
One of the things I cherish most as a dog parent is the immense happiness my dog, Happy, expresses by jumping on me and wagging his tail when I get back home after a long day.
But do dogs really play a role in our mental health? Letâs explore.
Science Behind the Love đŹ
Studies show that interacting with dogs increases oxytocin – the âlove hormoneâ – and decreases cortisol, the stress hormone (Petersson et al., 2017). This means spending time with dogs can actually reduce stress. Dogs also provide companionship, which improves mental health.
Dog owners tend to be more physically active than non-dog owners because of activities like walking (Westgarth et al., 2014). And trust me, if youâre even five minutes late for their daily walk, their dramatic expressions will make you feel like youâve broken their heart! This routine often pushes owners toward a healthier lifestyle.
Dogs Spread Happiness Everywhere â¨
Iâve seen many of my friends find immense happiness just by petting a dog they randomly meet on the street. This shows that dogs can bring joy to anyone who comes near them. You donât even have to own one.
Some universities and colleges provide therapy dogs to reduce stress and anxiety in students. For example, Flinders University recently had a visit from Waffle, the therapy dog for RUOK? Day. Stress levels among students are increasing day by day, and studies prove that therapy dogs can really provide relief (Haefelin et al., 2020).
Lessons from Our Four-Legged Friends đ
As humans, sometimes we feel like weâre all alone and no one treats us as their first priority. But if you own a dog, the admiration in their little eyes says otherwise. They give us courage to fight lifeâs battles without fear of failure or loneliness.
Sometimes I wonder how beautiful the world would be if humans had the same characteristics as dogs: loyal, friendly, and loving unconditionally without selfishness.
Dogs behave empathetically toward their owners and provide emotional support. Studies show that pets help during crises, and physical touch with a dog brings relief and calmness (Brooks et al., 2018). It helps owners overcome isolation.
A Short Life, A Lifetime of Love â
Although dogs help us maintain our mental well-being, they also teach us how important it is to cherish true love. These little companions stay with us for a short time, giving us their energy and revolving their lives around ours. They come into our lives unexpectedly, then steal our shoes, clothes, pillows – and our hearts.
Although they leave us too soon, they give us a lifetime of memories. Later, we realize how lucky we were to share life with such a pure soul and how deeply we were loved.
Canât Own a Dog? Hereâs What You Can Do đ
As university students, many of us canât own a dog because of busy schedules. But you can still spend time with dogsâvisit therapy dogs like Waffle when you get the chance, play with dogs at the park, or spend time with friends and family who own dogs. Itâs never a waste of time.
Is it worth it? Absolutely. The experience, the love, the little barks, the clinginessâeverything is worth it. Dogs are like little angels. They accompany us in the most difficult phases of our lives, and when everything feels okay, theyâre still there.
Dogs play an important role in keeping our mental well-being, lifting our moods, and accompanying us through every phase of life. So try to return the favor with little treats, walks, and lots of love.
As Roger Caras said:
âDogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.â
References
- Brooks, H. L., Rushton, K., Lovell, K., Bee, P., Walker, L., Grant, L., & Rogers, A. (2018). The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence. BMC Psychiatry, 18(1), Article 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1613-2
- Haefelin, N., Lange, N., Sweigert, B., Yonto, M., & Rivardo, M. G. (2020). Anxiety Reduction in College Students after Brief Interaction with a Therapy Dog or Animatronic Dog. North American Journal of Psychology, 22(3), 411â426.
- Petersson, M., Uvnäs-Moberg, K., Nilsson, A., Gustafson, L.-L., Hydbring-Sandberg, E., & Handlin, L. (2017). Oxytocin and Cortisol Levels in Dog Owners and Their Dogs Are Associated with Behavioral Patterns: An Exploratory Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1796. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01796
- Westgarth, C., Christley, R. M., & Christian, H. E. (2014). How might we increase physical activity through dog walking?: A comprehensive review of dog walking correlates. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 11(1), Article 83. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-11-83
