There are endless reasons to love a dog, but the biggest one is definitely the feel-good hormone that's released when we look into our dog's eyes. Try it for yourself! 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.” This hormone increases feelings of relaxation, trust, and empathy while reducing stress and anxiety. BUT ... there are MORE reasons, and we're sharing five with you here;
5 top reasons why we humans love our dogs so much!
1. Friendship
Most of us are looking for a solid partnership or best friend! Dogs are the perfect best friend because they can't talk back, judge us or our actions, and they love us even through our bad moods, grumpiness, and on the days we can't get out and walk them. Did you know, dogs mimic our moods? Find out more about that here!
2. Loyalty
Have you seen the movie Hachiko? It's a delightful true story of a purebred Japanese Akita dog who showed absolute loyalty to his best friend and owner, Eizaburo Ueno. Hachi would take his owner to the Shibuya Train Station and would also meet him after work. When his owner died, Hachiko kept turning up at the train station every morning and afternoon, for 10 long years, patiently waiting for his best friend. Heartbreaking stuff, but a definite must-watch!
If you have your own Hachiko in your life right now, you're blessed! As Queen Elizabeth so famously said, "grief is the price we pay for love" so don't be afraid of loving another dog, after you've lost your best friend. The friendship, loyalty, joy and love is WORTH IT!
3. Dogs keep us healthy!
Owning a dog keeps us healthier! We need to exercise our furriends, taking them walking and running, which not only keeps us fit, but also helps us our mental health, and keeps us socialising. Have you noticed that whether you're at the dog park, beach walking, or just around the block, your dog gives you the opportunity to greet people where possibly you never would have before? According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels." Get walking with your dog, today!
4. Protection and selfless love
Stories of dogs saving their owner's lives, gives us all the warm feels, and none more so than Max the Australian Cattle Dog.
"Max, at the ripe old age of 17, was partially blind and totally deaf. But that didn’t stop him from saving the life of three-year-old Aurora. When the toddler wandered away from her grandmother’s home and got lost in the mountains of Queensland, it was Max who came to her rescue.
Despite police scouring the area, Aurora hadn’t been found. But Max took it upon himself to keep searching, found her, then spent the night camping with her before slowly herding her back towards the house. Once he got close, he found the police and Aurora’s grandmother, and led them towards the toddler.
The local police were so impressed with Max, they made him an honorary police dog. What a good boy!" *Read more here.
Even the bark your dog makes to alert you someone is at the door, or the growl to warn you something isn't right ... there are so many ways our dogs look after us, protect us, and keep us safe. Selfless love, right there!
5. Happiness
In answering a question on Reddit, "Why do dogs make so many people so happy? Coevolution?" this commenter nailed every single point!
"As someone who just lost my dog... they have unconditional love toward their owners, they have great individual personalities. Dogs connect with humans on a deep personal level, they become a member of the family very quickly. They are incredibly intelligent and can sense when you are upset or happy, and if you are sad they do their best to make you feel better. My dog was a better person than most of the people I know. But scientifically speaking... Coevolution probably has something to do with it. We love this response so much!
*Coevolution occurs when species evolve together. Coevolution often happens in species that have symbiotic relationships, such as humans and dogs!
Here's a cute video we found on why humans love dogs!
Click here to read why dogs and their owners so often look alike!
Halloween is just around the corner! Check out our Halloween collection for your dogs here!