Dogs, Friends for Life, Friends for Living

I love dogs and two (2) of my own.  This article from Your Senior Care Network highlights how important our four-legged friends can be to our senior community.

Think of the family member that provides companionship, security, entertainment and an all-around great friend. This companion is of course the family dog. What we sometimes overlook is impact of your K9 friends.

In fact, I underestimated the healing effects of a K9 until visiting a local in a Senior Care Home. I watched as a dog trotted in through the doors and past the front desk. It was as if a circus had come to town. Elderly patients, who previously lay secluded in their rooms, erupted into the hall. It was a heart touching scene, which proved a point. These furry friends give us hope and that hope, believe it or not, has many health benefits.

These Help benefits include but are not limited to:

Exercise

Blame the dog all you want but the truth is, walking and running are better for you than they are for the dog. The average dog owner walks 11 more minutes per day than an average American. This translates into 100 -120 extra calories per day, or 1 pound of fat per month.

Health Monitor / Warning System

Dogs can be trained to detect many signs of the onset of a Heart Attack or a Seizure. These special dogs will give warning to impending hazard by signaling danger. Children and seniors benefit the most, as these dogs will alert others to the situation.

Wage War on Depression

Pet owners show a lower rate of depression. This is most likely due to companionship. A dog is your best friend no matter what, through thick and thin. Imagine the strength one can gain from having unconditional love.

Stress Reduction

Put the stress ball down and pick up a tennis ball. 15 to 20 minutes of interaction with Fido can melt the stress of the day. Researchers show a reduction of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, within 20 minutes of interaction with a K9 companion.

There are thousands of dogs looking for a best friend and there is no better time to adopt one than now. Given the health and emotional benefit, we don’t know why everyone doesn’t befriend a K9.