Dogs Are More Than Just Pets
Dogs are wonderfully loving creatures to us. This is part of the reason why we believe they deserve to have great food. For most people companionship is more than enough, yet dogs are capable of so much more. Their amazing abilities are easy to forget, while other benefits are surprising. Today we cover some stories about how pups enrich our lives. Before that we have a couple of updates:
We’re happy to announce that Hot Pocket, the sweet dog we visited at the Oregon Humane Society recently, has been adopted!
We just launched our new product, Pup Packets. They’re nutrient blends that you can use to make your pup classic comfort foods. Simply follow the recipe on the back of the pack. If you love to cook and want to share that with your dog, we made these especially for you.
Ok, on to today’s topic!
Why we domesticated dogs
The domestication of dogs occurred well before the advent of written history, so most of what we know about how humans started raising dogs is obtained through archeological observations. Comparing dogs with wolves also gives is insight into the traits that ancient humans found valuable.
Did you know that wolves don’t bark like dogs? Their barks sound more like coughs and are pretty rare in the wild. So as annoying as the pups are when they bark uncontrollably, our ancestors specifically bred for this trait.
Protection
Dogs senses are far more acute than ours. We’ve discussed the power of their noses which are over 10,000-times more sensitive than ours. So it’s probably not surprising that their hearing is also more acute than ours. Despite being less acute than their noses, dogs can hear sounds up to 4-times farther away than we can and can hear ultrasonic noises that we can’t. Identifying threats 4-times farther away than people is a huge advantage for prehistoric human tribes.
Even today, dog owners (and even their neighbors) are far less likely to be victims of crime. Recently LA Dodgers star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s dog scared off three intruders while he was on a road trip. Intruders broke a rear glass door, but did not enter.
Mental health
According to studies, just having a dog alone is not enough to impact mental health. Even more important is the relationship that dog owners have with their dogs. Close relationships with dogs are associated with reduction of mental health symptoms such as suicidal thoughts. However, the responsibility itself can be troubling to some, so those people with poor mental health are advised to consider the decision carefully before brining a dog home. Here are some other mental health benefits.
Lower stress: Bonding, touch, and eye contact boosts oxytocin and dampens cortisol, contributing to a calmer mood. Also increasing a sense of safety can reduce hyper vigilance and panic for some.
Social catalyst: Dogs get people outside and spark conversations reducing loneliness.
Attention and behavioral changes: from increased activity, to regular schedules, caring for a dog can create positive new habits and get people into the present moment.
Physical health and longevity
Service animals and working dogs are everywhere. From enabling mobility to warning epilepsy sufferers of impending seizures, dogs trained for specific tasks can be life savers. But just like mental health benefits, physical health and longevity benefits don’t accrue equally to all pet owners. Here are some of the benefits that highly engaged dog owners are likely to experience.
Increased physical activity: Numerous studies have shown that highly engaged dog owners get more exercise which lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of injury and improves sleep quality amongst many others benefits. Getting exercise with your dog is the single best thing you can do for your health.
Lower risk of death: whether simply due to increased physical activity, improved mental health or some combination, dog owners have a lower risk of death according to a cohort study of twins in Sweden.
Better recovery: In another large Swedish study dog owners had a 33% lower risk of death after a heart attack and a 27% lower risk of death after a stroke.
Immunity boost: Numerous studies conclude that exposure to domestic and farm animals in early life reduce the risk of asthma and allergies.
Food is bonding
Meals are rarely just about eating. Family gatherings, dates, and activities often revolve around food. It’s our way of bonding with people from dearly loved ones to work colleagues. Feeding your dogs great food, even preparing them special meals, is not only good for them, the prevailing scientific evidence suggests that it’s good for you too!
Really this is one of the key insights from the research. Owning a pet alone isn’t necessarily good for you. If you find yourself resenting your dog or if your can’t meet your dogs needs and it becomes a burden, it probably negatively affects your health. But if you really lean in and love your dog, you end up doing even more for yourself.
That’s all for this week.
All the best,
Joelle and R.A.