Essay Example on The Power of Pets: Benefits of Keeping Dogs & Cats in Modern Times

Owning pets has been a traditional practice that has also been perpetuated by people in modern times. People continue to tame animals of their choice. Dogs and cats are the two animals that have consistently been reared by people for various reasons. For instance, dogs are used to provide domestic security to the owners and provide powerful health benefits both physically and psychologically courtesy of their company. They supplement or take part in techniques like meditation, yoga, or journaling.

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Interaction with dogs has been established to reduce stress to significant levels and instead boost the owners' mood due to physical and mental attachments. Stress is associated with an increase in blood pressure in individuals. On the other hand, the company provided by dogs helps control blood pressure in the sense that when one pets the dog, it acts as a component to relieve anxiety and relax the heart. Interaction with the dog decreases the levels of cortisol, a hormone that causes stress and lowers blood pressure (Handlin et al, 2011).

The positive reaction between the dog and the owner is attributed to the oxytocin hormone whose functions are to stimulate social bonding and increase relaxation and trust, thereby easing stress. Dogs encourage the owner to continue moving or instead when jogging. People with dogs have confirmed enjoying their company during exercise compared to those who don't have pets. During this time of exercise, the owners play with the dogs enhanced by the strong bonds, and in turn, the actions act as eliminators of anxiety and aid in the management of stress besides improving their overall health performance.

Surveys conducted by researchers show that owners of dogs, particularly those who take a walk with them, seem friendly and easy to approach compared to those who do not have a company of the dog. The dog's company, in most cases, has provided a reason to initiate a conversation, thereby increasing the number of people that an owner would interact with (Kovacic, 2018). The above allows them to enhance their network of friends, which is an essential aspect of stress management.

Dogs are therapeutic in staving off stress caused by loneliness and instead provide the unconditional love. They are usually there in ways that people cannot be. They are characterized by the provision of love and companionship under the convenience of the owner. One can enjoy comfortable silences with dogs besides being excellent snugglers, thereby being the best antidote to loneliness. The above is of benefit in reducing the levels of stress that the dog owners can experience in response to feelings of social alienation and isolation and the lack of support from people close to them.

Dogs also contribute to their owners' general health in the sense that they help them stay more active at all times. For the owners involved in walking off their dogs, they tend to remain physically active, reducing the chances of developing conditions like obesity that can be a health problem to cause them stress (Cimons, 2016). Being more active and involved with the dog also reduces the chances of being distracted by stress.

Dogs help their owners to relieve stress by adding structure and routine to their day. Dogs require feeding and exercise that is regular and well-scheduled since it keeps them calm and balanced. Similarly, the above is adopted by the owner when executing the activities for the dog. One is obligated to provide the dog's services despite the mood of depression, anxiety, or stress because of the pitiful look from the dog.

References

Cimons, M. (2016, September 19). Your dog can make you feel better, and here's why. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/your-dog-can-make-you-feel-better-and-heres-why/2016/09/19/fde4aeec-6a2a-11e6-8225-fbb8a6fc65bc_story.html.

Kovács, K., Virányi, Z., Kis, A., Turcsán, B., Hudecz, Á., Marmota, M. T., ... & Topál, J. (2018). Dog-owner attachment is associated with oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms in both parties. a comparative study on austrian and hungarian border collies. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 435. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00435/full?report=reader

Handlin, L., Hydbring-Sandberg, E., Nilsson, A., Ejdebäck, M., Jansson, A., & Uvnäs-Moberg, K. (2011). Short-term interaction between dogs and their owners: effects on oxytocin, cortisol, insulin and heart rate—an exploratory study. Anthrozoös, 24(3), 301-315. https://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dogs.Owners.Oxytocin.pdf