With the percentage of isolated people in the world shooting up to a record high this year, having a dog to share your thought with is definitely one of the best ways to be less lonely.
Any dog owner out there can tell you that you can long conversations with your dog without feeling judged or being interrupted. Some owners claim that dogs understand more than what we give them credit for. There is no doubt that they pick up on their human’s emotions and state of mind and react accordingly. To read some more about choosing the best companion dogs, go here.
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, also known as the “love hormone.” Other studies have shown that owning a dog can alleviate depression, and this is
especially true for older adults. As social ties loosen and family members live farther apart from each other, seniors are at risk of becoming isolated and lonely, which is a cause of depression. Research studied people 60 years and older who didn’t live with a human companion, but had a pet. Their likelihood of being diagnosed with depression was one-quarter as likely as non-pet owners.
So, what exactly describes a companion dog? A companion dog shouldn’t be confused with the title awarded by the American Kennel Club at certain obedience competitions. It is generally accepted that a dog that does not do a specific task, but is required mainly for companionship as a pet.
Keep in mind that any dog can be a companion dog though some are better suited therefor. Most dogs do like cuddling but some breeds don’t like being held. To determine what companion dog will be most suited to your lifestyle, you need to take a close look at the dynamics of your household. If the dog you choose has certain characteristics associated with the breed, you can either set the dog up for failure or success.
Do you have other small pets in the household like cats or bunnies? Getting a dog with high prey drive (hunting instinct) will lead to disaster as the smaller pets will be hunted and quite possibly killed. You cannot blame the dog for hunting small animals if it’s been bred into their nature for hundreds of years.
Same scenario applies if you are a home body / couch potato that doesn’t like the great outdoors or going for a run. Get a energetic breed that doesn’t get a chance to burn off the excess energy and you’ll be replacing chewed shoes/carpets/furniture and filling in holes dug in your garden until the end of days.
The Blue Poodle - Killarney 
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[…] Any dog owner out there can tell you that you can long conversations with your dog without feeling judged or being interrupted. Some owners claim that dogs understand more than what we give them credit for. There is no doubt that they pick up on their human’s emotions and state of mind and react accordingly. To read some more about companion dogs, go here. […]
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