Do You Prefer Pets to People?
Hopefully, you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday, you walked off your turkey dinner, and the dogs and cats got their fair share of table scraps. As we move deeper into the season of giving, be sure to remember your animal friends. On this week's A Dose of Positivity, I have the privilege to interview Anne Bourke on the Healing Powers of Animals. Whether you have a pet or not, this show will open your heart.
Anyone who knows me knows I am always with my three 60 lb best buddies. Chester, Sadie, and Lucky bring me more joy than most people. I love being a pet parent. In addition to exercising me and getting me out into Nature, they provide unconditional love 24x7. I love hanging out with 12 paws and putting in the miles daily.
The truth is, I'd rather spend time with my buddies than cranky people. There is nothing like unconditional love, especially when having a down day.
🐕 Brings Joy
Studies show that pets can make you happy. It's true; pet parents are happier than the general population, and getting a pet can increase your overall happiness many times over. Why? Well, there are many reasons, dogs (as well as cats and other animals) really are humans' best friends.
🐕🦺 Companionship
Pets provide companionship, which reduces loneliness and improves social interaction. Pet parents feel more connected and like they have more social support than non-pet parents. They score lower on tests for anxiety and depression too. Caring for a pet releases those much-needed endorphins that make you feel good.
🐈 Stress Reduction
Having a pet lowers your stress levels. It decreases immediate and long-term blood pressure, leading to improved health outcomes. Even petting an animal that's not yours can make you feel better; this is why therapy animals are becoming so popular in hospitals, nursing homes, and other places where people are stressed or hurting.
🐩 Responsibility Equals Increased Self-Esteem
Meeting the challenge of caring for a pet is a great self-esteem enhancer. Pets are a lot of responsibility, after all. You have to feed them, take care of them, clean up after them, exercise them, and so forth.
🦮 Social Bonds Increase
Pet parents report having more social ties than non-pet parents, and much of the difference is associated with their pets. Every pet has to have an occasional vet visit, forcing the pet parents to have social interactions. Many pet parents also join groups dedicated to their type of pet and/or meet people in the community by taking their pets out or playing in a dog park. Walking a dog is a great way to meet new people. A guy with a darling dog is a chick magnet.♥️
🐈⬛ It Has to be the Right Pet
These benefits are great, but one word of caution: it must be the right pet for you. The wrong pet can make you as miserable as the right pet can make you happy. Are you a dog or a cat person? Pig or pony person? Snake or bunny rabbit person?
Carefully consider what kind of animals you like, can bond with, and have the time and resources to care for before deciding on a pet. Even if you decide on a specific kind of pet, say a dog, make sure to find a match for you in size, activity level, etc., before you bring one home. A Siberian Husky does not belong in an urban environment, whereas a miniature poodle might thrive on the treats and attention from the Doorman. You'll be in for a wonderful time if you get the right pet.
Something that I have noticed with the many dogs I have had the privilege to care for over the past 60 years is how unique each is. The more I love them, the more their personality comes out. They carry on the past lives of those I love reminding me to be present and cherish the good memories. All my dogs are on a verbal leash, trained with gentle commands and kindness. Like children, they want to be good, feel free to be who they are, and use all their senses. They just need guidance. All of us could use more freedom and unconditional love. I learn so much from my 4-legged friends.
Enjoy this story from Living Like the Future Matters ~ The Evolution of a Soil to Soul Entrepreneur
- By Donna Maltz
Animalizing
You cannot share your life with a dog or any animal and not know that
they have personalities and minds, and feelings.
After years of begging for a dog, we finally got one. I was seven when our new furry darling arrived. One requirement was that my older brother and I take care of him. My mom got to pick out the puppy. To no one’s surprise, it was a fashionable, miniature gray French poodle that made his way into our home and our hearts. Dad’s favorite drink was brandy, so that was the name he chose for our new family member.
Brandy and I had an immediate affection for one another. My favorite time of day was walking and talking to him. I routinely leashed the frisky puppy and off we went for a stroll around the block twice a day. Nothing like a one-sided conversation when there’s so much to say. Somehow Brandy understood everything better than my family or friends, and I felt safe sharing my deepest childhood thoughts with him. Walk time got me outside and gave me a break from chores or homework. Rain or shine, I enjoyed communing with what was left of Nature’s beauty in the developing neighborhood. It was especially lovely when the ornamental wild cherry trees were in bloom.
My four-legged best friend had an excellent sixth sense, and when we encountered others, he greeted them with either a wag or a growl. Instinctively, Brandy picked up on my feelings. He treated me accordingly, whether it was a lick or a look of “let’s go.” He would jump in my lap when I was sad. My first animalizing mentor, a sophisticated poodle, awakened this sixth sense intuition in me. I loved to nurture and observe him grow and develop into a mature, happy dog. He was my living doll.
As a child, I was not aware of all the benefits of having a dog. Dog owners usually have lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure and are better able to manage what stress they have. That adds up to fewer heart attacks! To top it off, I was even burning calories and bumping up serotonin levels without even being aware.
Our darling poodle was the being of my love of dogs. I have since always had one, two, or three dogs at any given time. All my animals have been great teachers of unconditional love and made excellent companions on my life’s journey. These playful animals continue to bring out my inner child, calm my mind, and boost my mood. They also have instilled in me the virtue of being in a routine. Reflecting on the gifts they have brought me, I realized that all my pets taught me to “animalize” more rather than to over “analyze”— to dig deeper into my primal roots.
Get Animalized
Why is it that most people analyze things to death without considering their instincts? Animals always live in the present – neither the past nor the future consumes them. They depend on their senses and trust their instincts. I have found that the essential characteristics of an entrepreneur are intuition, instinct, and taking calculated risks before the gut reaction becomes diluted. Trust me, procrastination is a killer!
Some consider animalizing as a cruel act that lacks human qualities. What’s up with that?
Animals are not cruel, and humans are animals too — specifically, mammals. Why do many humans put themselves at the top of the pyramid of importance and alienate themselves from other species? This self-determined hierarchy has allowed us to believe humans are smarter and more important than all other creatures. But, if we disappeared from the Earth tomorrow, Nature would begin to re-balance, and all other species would thrive.
They have used dogs for years with tremendous success in treating the aged and the terminally ill. Now, animal-assisted therapy benefits people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Animals remind us to be present and live like the future matters, they remind us to play.
🥰 A Dose of Positivity
See you all this Thursday for another supreme Dose of Positivity with my special guest Annie Bourke who will share her years of wisdom and expertise about understanding our animals and their healing powers ✨
Need some Mama Donna love? 🥰
