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The Power of Dogs

Millions of people around the world own some type of animal, but the one animal that I

have always had a special love for is a dog. Ever since I was young, dogs have been a great

source of joy to me and everyone around me. There's a reason why dogs are called a man's best

friend. In addition to showing constant compassion and affection towards their owners, dogs are

also wonderful companions. They have human-like qualities that can allow humans to form such

a connection with. There's something about the comfort of having a furry friend to cuddle with

and show unconditional love towards you that can just put a smile on anyone's face. There was

one particular moment in my life that altered my perspective and showed me how much dogs can

love and positively change the lives of the ones they love. Over the years I have watched my

grandparents grow more lonesome as time goes by. Even though they have a huge support

system by their side and a huge family, no one can stop time and aging. As melancholy as it is,

everyone grows old at some point and there's nothing anyone can do to prevent that, and

unfortunately people can become more lonely as they grow older. My grandparents on both sides

of my family lost their spouses, who now live alone, and it broke my heart to see them lose a part

of themselves when their loved one had passed. It’s almost like the sparkle in their eyes just

disappeared and it was extremely disheartening. When anyone loses a loved one it can change

their lives in the flip of a switch. They both lost their best friends that they have had alongside

their whole life and did everything with. One day, My aunt decided to surprise my grandma with

a gift that ultimately flipped her life around. My aunt got her an adorable puppy who became her

companion and best friend. Over the first few weeks of having her, I could tell in my grandma's

eyes the sparkle came back and saw how happy this puppy makes her. I was so happy my

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grandma had something to keep her company and help with loneliness and to this day I am still

amazed how this dog changed her life just in the span of a few weeks, which later brought me to

my question: What are the potential effects a dog can have on a human's mental health?

Overtime, evolution has allowed dogs to become domesticated and allow them to

accumulate qualities and adapt to the surroundings around them. According to Humble she had

the curiosity of dogs and how they become who they are, "Do they feel guilty if they are caught

chewing a chair leg or stealing food off the table? Many of us dog owners absolutely believe that

we know what our dogs are thinking and feeling, but do we just think we do?" No one really

knows what is going on in a dog's head. They have to learn overtime how to give love and

affection to others from the ones who raised them. In all honesty, It all comes down to who raises

the dog and what knowledge they can obtain from their owners, which allows them to be who

they are later down the road. Some dogs are very neglected and are presented in terrible

conditions and environments, and that unquestionably affects the way they act towards humans.

“The behavioral studies conducted by researchers found significant differences between abused

and non-abused dogs. Abused dogs were more excitable, and displayed significantly more

attention seeking behaviors, than those who weren’t abused”(Joosse). Some dogs that are in dog

pounds can be out of touch with humans, and the reality is that the only thing they know how to

do is protect themselves, which means they can be aggressive towards people and not know how

to give affection because they never learned it. “Abused dogs displayed more aggression and fear

towards humans and other dogs that they weren’t familiar with [6]. They were more likely to roll

around in feces, be more hyperactive and have a greater fear of walking up stairs”(Joosse). On

the other hand, dogs who are raised in a loving and stable environment are so much more likely

to know how to give and show affection. Dogs learn traits from their owners as well as pick up

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certain words or tones from their owners' voices and know what they’re owner's mood is or what

they’re saying because however their owner is, it influences the way their animal acts. Joosse

found in one of her recent studies that, “ Dogs’ brains process human and canine vocalizations

differently, suggesting they evolved to recognize our voices from their own.” Dogs have

developed a skill overtime to detect our voices and tone, which is very incredible. They can tell

how we are feeling sometimes just based on the tone of our voices and over time who knows

how advanced the skills dogs can learn will be, and what they can offer for humans in the future.

The way a human treats an animal is fundamental. Treating a dog properly and raising

them well goes a long way in the long run. If the owner has a good bond with their dog, that can

benefit them because dogs are great companions and a good support system. A researcher,

Lass-Hennemann, mentions in her study that having an emotional bond with your dog can

positively benefit both the owner and the dog's mental health. Dogs give their attention to their

owners because that is what their whole life is based around. A dog can be a tiny part of a

person's life, but to a dog, their owners mean everything to them. That is one of the many reasons

why dogs can be so affectionate; that's the only thing they know how to do because humans are

their main priority and, ultimately, their primary source of happiness as well. Having a good

bond with your dog can be so special. Dogs have so many benefits that they can provide for their

owners. They can improve their owners' mental health and overall wellbeing. “Recent research

on human-dog interactions showed that talking to and petting a dog are accompanied by lower

blood pressure (BP) in the person than human conversation”(Min). If their owner is lonely, a dog

can make a significant difference in their mental health and overall health because it allows them

to have someone there for them, even if it's not a human. A dog can motivate their owner to be

more active because having a dog isn't easy, and you have to take care of them almost like how

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you would if you had a child. You also have to keep your dog active for them to be healthy, so

taking them on walks and throwing a ball for them benefits both, which ultimately leads to better

mental health because staying active is essential to any human or dog's health.

In a time of desperate need of affection and attention a dog can be that for someone. In a

more recent study, Researcher Grajfoner talks about a study she did on how dogs positively

affected human mental health during Covid-19. She mentions that "A study that explored the

impact of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing in both pet owners and pets in the UK

reported that having a companion animal may increase physical activity during social activities”.

The study results support the argument that pets can positively impact some aspects of mental

health and well-being in very challenging times, where contact with other humans may not be

possible. “Consequently, companion animals and interventions can be considered in the context

of any mental health and well-being recovery programs and explored in other situations and with

other groups of participants who experience a lack of human contact and social

isolation"(Thelwell). This researcher also did a study on the effects a dog had on people's mental

health during Covid-19 and came to the same conclusion as Grajfoner. Dogs indeed did have a

significant impact on humans mental health, and due to the studies, for future reference, humans

might be more persuaded to get a dog in case something occurred, such as Covid-19, again.

Dogs have such exceptional qualities that can offer humans emotional support and

comfort. That is also why serviced dogs were created, to help people with anxiety, depression,

medical conditions, etc. Dogs can help people when they have no friends or no one to talk to, and

dogs can be a way for them to feel loved. They can be great companions for people and benefit

their owners in multiple ways. Dogs are very loyal to their owners and will be there for them no

matter what. "According to the ACHA, stress is the most commonly reported barrier to students'

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academic success. With students reporting that within the past year, 58.4% felt overwhelming

anxiety, 59% felt very lonely, 65% felt very sad, and 9.8% seriously considered suicide"(Min).

These statistics are how teenagers feel in college before interacting with dogs, and how school

negatively impacts them. Min states, "One way that may help is interacting with animals. It is

commonly reported in the media that owning a pet can positively impact our physical health and

well-being, such as increased physical activity, increased social interactions, and reduced blood

pressure.” A way for teenagers to escape those dark thoughts and lean toward something more

positive, they can confide in dogs for the support that they need. For most teenagers, going into

college can be a hard transition and that can essentially lead to declining mental health. It will

never hurt to get that extra support someone might need, especially starting a new chapter of life

that can be an overwhelming feeling. "Over the years, research has shown that dog owners have

greater life satisfaction, enhanced self-esteem, reduced levels of loneliness and anxiety, and more

positive moods. (AAT) has been shown to improve mood in children and adults with physical or

mental health problems.”(Hansley). In Hansley's study, he found out that interacting with a dog

can ease their unwanted feelings of depression and anxiety and help them calm down during

those hard and stressful times. Some colleges now offer therapy pet programs to help out

teenagers who are struggling with their mental health and need a distraction. Even though dogs

aren't a permanent solution to a human's mental health, they are certainly a great way to help

those in need for the time being. If someone is in a bad state, having a dog be there for them can

help tremendously and make a difference.

The feeling of loneliness is sadly not that uncommon, and millions of people struggle

with it. Feeling lonely is nothing anyone wants to go through, and there can even be different

interpretations of loneliness. Someone can possibly not have any friends or family and be lonely,

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or even if you do, you can still feel lonely. In recent studies, Foltin found statistics of humans

who own pets and how people's dogs help them with that feeling of loneliness. According to

Foltin, "85% of respondents agree interaction that pets can help reduce loneliness, 76% agree

human-pet interactions can help address social isolation, 72% believe human-interaction is good

for their community, and 80% of pet owners say their pet marks them feel less lonely"(Foltin).

These studies provide insight that dogs can help out a human and make them feel less lonely, and

can be a companion for them. Dogs can be anyone's best friend and can provide unconditional

support for their owners. Many studies show having a dog can boost serotonin levels and can

improve their owners mental health. In another study, Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis said, "In

today's busy world, many people have lost a sense of community, and social isolation is

increasing. If dogs can help people get out into their neighborhoods more and meet others, that's

a win-win." This particularly can also help elders who are at a higher chance of isolation and

loneliness. Elders especially can feel more lonely due to loss of family or living alone. Having a

dog can decrease those feelings and give them something to look forward to. Although Elders do

have a higher chance of loneliness anyone can benefit from owning a dog and can provide

multiple benefits for their owner as well.

Service dogs were first introduced in the early 1750s and were used to help the visually

impaired. Over the years, that has evolved, and now there are service dogs who can help with

many different services. They can now help with anxiety, people who are deaf, alert when a

seizure is about to happen, remind their person to take their medications, help people with PTSD,

etc. Sherman did a study on a woman named Lindsey Jones, Penn state student, who has a

heart defect. She was running and her service dog jumped up and alerted Linsey to check her

heart rate. “I would have definitely passed out if she hadn’t alerted me,” Jones said. If it wasn't

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for her service dog, something could’ve happened to Lindsay but her dog prevented anything bad

from happening. In another study, Sherman said, there was a study on the effectiveness for

veterans with ptsd and how dogs helped them with their ptsd. "Three veterans reported the role

of their dog in suicide prevention, with one stating 'cause otherwise I wouldn't be here' (Veteran

#6). Another veteran, talking about suicidality, said, 'this has now alleviated all of that; I don't

even think about it anymore' (Veteran #12)” (Sherman). Ptsd can genuinely ruin someone's life

and majorly affect their daily life. Having a dog to help those veterans get through that turned

their life around completely for the better. After a dog has the training, it can have the ability to

read people's emotions and can tell when they need help and support. Ptsd can affect someone's

ability to focus, to work, normal daily activities, etc. Having a dog that can help with that is so

spectacular ."Veterans reported a sense of having reclaimed their life, giving them independence

and a way of managing their emotional and mental states and coping with a range of

symptoms including anxiety, low mood, and hypervigilance”(Sherman). These studies show

dogs have many beautiful effects towards these veterans to help them battle their PTSD, and

make sure they’re not alone in the process. Not only can dogs provide support for ptsd they

provide a best friend for these veterans, and that ultimately gives them a sense of relief and

comfort, allowing those veterans to feel at peace.

Located around the world are many different kinds of animal shelters and foundations

that specialize in doing varieties of different services for dogs. Animal rescue foundation in

Walnut Creek, California has a special program for therapy dogs and as well as a adoptive

system and training for dogs and other animals. Charlotte Moore, employee from Animal Rescue

Foundation specializes in their therapy dog program. Moore wanted to originally be a vet but

steered in another direction, that’s quite similar. Moore currently lives in Walnut Creek,

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California and pursued her passion for dogs at the University of Miami studying zoology. Moore

later moved back to her hometown and got a Career at the Animal rescue Foundation. She now

has been working there for years and loves what she does. The program she is employed in is

called the “Pet Hug Pack.” Moore explained that “In the program here there are hundreds of

qualified pets and their volunteer handlers. We have dogs visiting many different places due to

different severities.” She then said, “We send dogs over to hospitals and care facilities as well as

other events such as education programs.” Not only does he enjoy her job everyday, she gets to

do what she loves and she gets to see dogs make a difference in people's lives and change

peoples lives for the better.

Dogs are genuinely a blessing in disguise and we are extremely lucky to have them in our

world today. Everyone should realize the beneficial effects dogs can have on a person's life and

the differences they have made on human lives through thousands of years. There are so many

different points of view, but it all narrows down to the same idea where dogs do truly have

positive effects on people in so many various ways. Not only do dogs give someone a pet to

have, they provide assistance, comfort, affection, different services and sympathy, and a dog is a

great way to help yourself or those in need. Dogs deserve to be recognized and praised for all the

remarkable things they can provide for a human. They can easily equip so many different kinds

of skills specializing in different things and can overall change peoples lives completely. It’s

incredible that animals can make this much of an impact on a person. Not only is this eye

opening, it showed the powerful impact it has had on so many people, and still to this day is

creating even a stronger one on so many people's lives. Doing this research provides new insight

for me and many others in the hope of teaching and educating others about dogs and how special

they are to us.

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