Benefits of Having a Pet-My Personal Experiences

It is a well-established fact now that pets have an important role today in our society. They can change the very caliber of our life and humans have a lot to learn from these beings. Pets like dogs and cats are very intelligent and understand when we talk to them. They can be easily trained and can be very helpful to the pet owners apart from being good companions.

They are not only stress busters but heart healers. Taking care of a pet keeps the owner physically active and thereby can prevent heart diseases. Cognitive functions can be maintained for a senior pet owner. A leisurely day spent with a pet at home can be very beneficial physically as well as mentally.

Children get to learn a lot from pets. With their unconditional love, loyalty, intelligence, their simple needs and joys, pets make the best companions for your children, especially introverted, shy kids. Caring for a pet teaches children empathy, compassion, and care which are lacking in humans in our society today. Encouraging the child to talk to the pet and tend to his needs helps the child to develop social skills along with a caring attitude.

They are also therapeutic for children with anxiety, stress, and other issues. Studies in paediatric health have shown that children who grow up having pets in the house develop better immunity than children who do not have a pet around. A little puppy is the best gift any child could have and the joy is boundless. And that was the reason we got a pet at home.

My daughter was only a year old and loved animals. We got a puppy which was just about a month old and their friendship began. Of course, the little one was very naughty and often troubled the pup by pulling his ears, nose when he was asleep. We often had to protect the pup from her. But the little guy did not mind it at all and they played along. Today I am glad that my daughter has grown into a loving caring human being sensitive to the needs of others and our pet has surely contributed to that.

Pets are wonderful companions for Seniors. When their children are busy leading their own lives and making their careers and taking care of their families, the Seniors often face loneliness leading to depression, and a feeling of being unwanted. Having a pet can be very beneficial to them. Taking care of a pet, feeding him, playing with him, taking him for walks, taking him to the vet can be actually therapeutic for the aged, apart from the fact that they make very good life companions.

There is never a dull day with a pet around the house. They are a form of medication for the elderly. Their cognitive and motor functions are greatly improved. They are the best security the seniors can have. Studies have proven similarities in the dog's gene microbiome to that of the human microbiome suggesting that humans are genetically much closer to the man's best friends than imagined.

Our pet surely does his job well of protecting us, guarding our home, entertaining us and keep us fit in mind and body apart from giving us companionship and unconditional love. He also seems to understand when we speak to him and going out for a walk is his favourite activity of the day. He listens intently when we talk to him and tilts his head in a very endearing manner when the topic of going for a walk is mentioned.

Now studies have confirmed the therapeutic effect animals have on humans. Animal-assisted therapy is a recognised form of treatment not only for specially-abled and challenged children but also for adults who are fighting with depression and other mental disorders and people recovering from accidents and severe illnesses.

Having a pet is known to improve the health of humans by the release of happy hormones like oxytocin which help in reducing anxiety, lower heart rate, and blood pressure. We realise how simple their needs are and how little it takes to keep them happy.

Our pet surely has a therapeutic effect on us. He is so cute and cuddly that we forget all our woes when he is around. Playing with him takes away all our stress and worries of life. Caring for our pet gave us a new impetus, a purpose in life.

He has won us over with his unconditional love and companionship. He keeps a constant watch over us and we never feel lonely. His mischievous acts, his spontaneity keep us engaged the whole day. It keeps us positive in mind and soul.

Dogs are very popular in the entertainment industry also. Children and adults alike enjoy movies with dogs as protagonists. Many dogs have earned the status of stars today. They are popular in dog shows and various other competitive sports also.

MY FAVOURITE ICONIC DOG MOVIES

1.Hachi: A Dog’s tale

2.Marley and me

3. Beethoven

4. 101 Dalmatians

5. Because of Winn Dixie

6. Bingo

7. A dog named Christmas

8.Turner and Hooch

9. Lassie

10.A dog’s journey

A pet can be trained in various tasks to make our lives easier. They can even learn life-saving skills to help in an emergency. Service dogs as the term used in the US, are dogs which help people with disability like visual or hearing impairment, mental disorders, seizures, mobility impairment, and diabetes. They are used as sniffer dogs in bomb squads. They are also helpful in the military and police departments and also in fire brigades due to their acute sense of smell. They are very helpful in saving people who are stuck in rubble during building collapses.

Finally, I can say that people who have pets are lucky and are blessed ones. The lessons we learn from our pets are to keep life simple, to be happy always, to keep the spontaneity alive, to be compassionate and caring, to have love towards all living beings, to go about life with a new zeal and enthusiasm each day, to have belief in oneself and to give unconditional love to our dear ones. I sure did learn a lot from my pet and continue to do so every day.