The relationship between dogs and people is deep and old. Dogs and people began living together over 15,000 years ago. The connection was natural because both people and dogs are social beings, and both benefit mentally (and often physically) from strong social bonds.
Since dogs have been domesticated to a point where they need us to survive, and we tend to find that we need them almost as much, people and dogs developed a symbiotic relationship. Most dog owners will tell you that their dog is a family member. And having a faithful dog at home gives us a listening ear, a warm paw to hold and even strong legs to run beside. In fact, the phrase “Man’s best Friend” originated in the American Supreme Court in 1870 when lawyer George Graham Vest defended a man who deeply loved his coon hound named Old Drum. Vest argued that when a neighbor killed Old Drum for trespassing, the neighbor took the life of more than just a pet-he killed an important family member.
As companions, the health benefits of living with a dog have been well-documented in many scientific studies. As reported in a recent Time Magazine article, the health benefits of living with a dog include:
* Links to a longer life
* Lower risk of cardiovascular disease
* Reduce the adverse health effects of living alone
* Can decrease allergies and asthma in children
* Increase opportunities for heath-beneficial socialization
The health benefits aren’t just in the mind. Preliminary research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes suggests that pet ownership boosts heart health, especially if that pet is a dog. Better heart health means a better chance to a longer life. Research found that dog owners who survived a heart attack were at a 33 percent reduced risk of an early death compared to non-dog survivors.
Dogs resemble their owners in more ways than floppy jowls or perky gait. Dogs mirror their owners’ personalities, and owners can use this information to better understand themselves.
Dogs can be a great help to Veterans suffering from PTSD, Moral Injury, or other similar problems. You can have the dog sit next to you and tell him/her all about your problems, while being assured that he was listening with interest, but will never tell anyone else. The interest is that just listening to you is a great help. Today many dogs are trained to be guide dogs that are there for the disabled veteran or civilian and are great at that job too. There is no question about the dog being man’s best friend, and that works even stronger if man is the dog’s best friend.
Help is available to you by calling the local VA hospital in Northport, 631.261.4400 or Veterans Crisis Line 1.800.273.8255, press 1 to talk to a veteran or have a confidential chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net or text to 838255.
If you have any question relating to veteran problems please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to answer it. Contact us at Drfred72@Gmail.com
Rev. Frederick Miller, Ph.D.