Dogs are wonderful creatures who for many people can transform lives for the better. We explore why dogs are famously known as man’s best friend. We also provide 10 benefits of being a dog owner if you’re living solo and thinking about getting a cuddly pooch.
Yes, of course, they start out as cute and cuddly puppies all fluffy and adorable, but their appeal goes far beyond their initial cuteness and vulnerability as pups.
Living Alone | 4th January 2020 by Michelle Newbold
Dogs are wonderful creatures who for many people can transform lives for the better. We explore why dogs are famously known as man’s best friend. We also provide 10 benefits of being a dog owner if you’re living solo and thinking about getting a cuddly pooch.
Yes, of course, they start out as cute and cuddly puppies all fluffy and adorable, but their appeal goes far beyond their initial cuteness and vulnerability as pups.
At the end of the day, it is their unique personality that really connects with you and makes a pet dog as treasured as any family member. Let’s face it, dogs are programmed to have a tail-wagging great time whatever the time of day and are capable of spreading joy wherever they go.
How can it be possible to feel glum when there is a pooch around that adores you to your bones? Dogs can make any ‘ruff’ day better!
August 26th marks National Dog Day, a day when you can celebrate all things canine. Truly, humans do not deserve dogs. But with their ability to fill many of our years with healthy walks, belly laughs and lots of love, there is no doubt they are man’s (and woman’s) best friend.
A dog’s loyalty is one of its greatest strengths. But have you ever wondered who is really in control of your human-canine relationship?
According to leading dog behavioural scientist and author Dr Clive Wynne, dogs use their eyes to control their owners. He has written a book called ‘Dog is Love’ that explores the science behind an owners bond with their furry friend.
In his book, he discusses how dogs’ evolution from wolves to become early human’s hunting companions has created this amazing depth of affection between man and dog.
According to his research, dogs developed small facial muscles over thousands of years making their eyes appear larger with more expressive eyebrows to prompt a nurturing response in humans. Hence the term puppy dog eyes.
Dogs have also evolved to respond to our emotions, so just like how we fall in love with a human partner, dogs can also deeply connect with us on an emotional level – even to a point where their heartbeats can match those of their owners.
Our ancient history together can go a long way to explain why our feelings and relationships with dogs go so much deeper than with other animal species.
Sometimes I believe our feelings for our canine companions can run deeper than those for our fellow humans. One of my favourite doggy-related quotes is:
“The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog.”—Mark Twain.
Here is a nice collection of quotes about why dogs are woman’s best friend.
Even in the twisted world of blockbuster horror films where gore and death are the order of the day, 2019 horror release ‘Crawl‘ director Alexandre Aja commented that it’s worse to kill a movie dog than a human.
The ‘Switchblade Romance’ director revealed in a recent interview that his new film has a co-star in the form of a cuddly, shaggy terrier dog named Sugar. Aja said audiences are often more scared and concerned about the fate of the animal rather than that of the lead actor.
He said, “I love dogs, but it’s strange how people will accept for a character to die in a horrible way, but will not accept the same for a dog. There’s something about the innocence of our best friend, or the animal who lives with us.”
Even outside of the horror genre, who didn’t cry buckets of tears while watching such canine-features as Marley and Me, Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, Turner & Hooch and even Dances With Wolves when Kevin Costner sees his faithful wolf companion, Two Socks, shot by soldiers for their own entertainment.
I defy anyone with a heart not to shed a tear while watching any of the above films.
There is no doubt that life is better with a dog. Owning one (or being owned by one) can be an advantage!
As part of National Dog Day, many local pubs up and down the country celebrate by giving pub patrons a free pint when they bring along their dog! One pub The Dog and Partridge invited visitors to bring their dogs to the pub while their owner enjoyed a free beer – a paw-fect treat in celebration of a day dedicated to dogs.
The pub is part of the Chef and Brewer collection of British country pubs. The company decided to run the giveaway after finding more than 55 per cent of dog owners would prefer to take their canine companion to the pub over their partner, friend or family member… Yes, you read that right!
If free beer isn’t your thing, then how about 10 other reasons which go to show why dogs really are man’s best friend?
Dogs don’t bear grudges (unlike people) so if you tell them off, they will soon forget about it and be your best friend once again after only a couple of minutes.
If you are good to your pooch, they reward you with their love, loyalty and undying devotion.
They will defend your vehemently, even when they are the size of a tennis ball and couldn’t strike terror into the heart of a house spider.
Dogs are very good at picking up your emotions. They will read your body language and tone of voice and will do their darndest to mimic you. If you are sad they will give you doleful looks with their big eyes.
Have dog – will walk! Dogs are great for getting you outside into the fresh air for a bit of exercise, which is great for clearing your head as well as your waistline.
Intelligence may vary by breed, but they are pretty smart creatures when they need to be. You can almost hear the Mission-Impossible theme tune playing in your head as you watch your dog work out how they can steal your sandwich without you noticing.
Even going to the toilet will turn into a mini-adventure. They need to know you are safe and haven’t accidentally flushed yourself down the loo!
If you have a dog you will always have a dinner companion. In fact, your dog will be an indispensable help in the kitchen too! They will dispose of any dropped food keeping your floor clean and free of slip-risks. They can go from a state of deep sleep to active kitchen duty with a single rustle of a cheese packet.
Tired of making plans with friends only to be let down at the last minute? This will never happen when you have a dog. A well-known fact about dogs – they don’t know how to use phones, so will never text you an apology for failing to turn up.
There is no feeling in the world like looking at your dog with affection and getting an adoring stare right back. Those loving feelings are mutual and we can get a beneficial boost of the feel-good hormone oxytocin, which is the same hormone that bonds us to our human babies.
Our dogs make us feel good, which is great for our health! Owning a pooch (or being owned by a pooch) can help lower your cholesterol, relieve stress, and boost your self-esteem.
Are you living alone and thinking about getting a dog? After reading this, do you need any more reasons to get a dog? Why not visit a local dog rescue centre and give a loving home to a deserving heart in need of one. Your new dog will not only take ownership of your heart but also your sofa, fireside rug and probably your bed too! But we dog owners wouldn’t have it any other way.
4 thoughts on “Why Dogs Really Are Man’s Best Friend”
Yes 100% dogs r the best. I recently had to put my ‘little man’ to sleep 🙁 brain tumor 🙁 so so sad 🙁 Zeus was my best mate :), we have had so so many great times together! He was my shadow. Zeus was a pure breed,male boxer who turnt 10 last year. He was my wing man and got me thru the rough times.
RIP ZEUS xox
My beautiful guardian angel left me suddenly on 29/12/2020. Life will never be the same without him. He gave me courage and strength to face any situation when he was by my side. More so he gave me huge amounts of love and companionship. He was so so special. ❤️ I miss him so much ?
I strongly believe the government should give dog and cat owners a 350-500 dollar tax credit , limit two per house hold , different for a shelter , this would help in controlling the pet population and is long over due!! If you believe in what I am saying pass this along to your Congress Members , some will think I am out there .
The reason why I am on this site is to get help in my grieving for losing my beautiful 11 1/2 year old German Shepherd on 12/27/2022. I’m a mess!! I tallied that I’ve had a dog for 25 years (my girl was almost 15 when she left me & my boy & I were together for almost 10 years, both were rescues). The pain of their loss is so great, I don’t think I can be a “momma” again. I’ll leave it up to their souls & the universe to decide for me.