Pets are a great source of comfort to many baby boomers these days. Pets have always been a source of comfort to people, but as you age, they help to fill many gaps.
The benefits of living with pets are many. Here we will discuss only a short list. Please feel free to share how your pets help you in everyday life.
Pets Help to Ease Loneliness
If you’re alone, having a living, breathing companion in the house is comforting. Someone to take care of, someone to walk, nurture and feed. They’re a constant companion and a good one. Dogs will follow you from room to room. Just knowing they’re there is comforting.
I talk to my dogs, and they understand. Some people may think it’s crazy; I don’t think so. Dogs truly understand their owners. They get it. If you’re paying attention, you will see it in their eyes.
They Give You Reason to Move
Dogs give people a reason to get up in the morning. You must walk the dog. You must get up, get dressed and take them out. It also gets you out of the house where you will likely meet other dogs and pet parents. It’s fresh air and exercise for both of you and maybe even some socialization with neighborhood people and their pets.
They Give Us Comfort
Pets offer us a sense of solace and calm when the going gets rough. Our pets have an innate ability to understand and sense our moods.
If you’re feeling down or you’re sick, they understand. They will stick by your side until you’re well, helping to comfort you along the way. They just want to please. They’ll sleep with you and watch out for you.
Taking the Stress Away
If you are anxious, they will calm you. Stoking the fur of a beloved cat or dog or whatever animal is calming in and of itself. It has been proven that animals help to reduce blood pressure, anxiety and even depression in humans. For a depressed person, having an animal takes away feelings of being alone, because they are not alone. These are emotional support animals, and they can be a lifesaver for some people.
Practical Helpers
There are also specially trained dogs who are trained to perform specific tasks. They can be taught to alert us to seizures, turn lights on and off and even take clothes out of the dryer. These are true service dogs trained to help the disabled, and they do a wonderful job of it. Service dogs are not emotional support animals.
A Loving Companion
Pets offer unconditional love. They want nothing from us but to be loved.
The positives of what having a pet can do for humans is nothing short of amazing. How often have we seen a dog go in to save a family after they suffer a terrible loss, yet the family feels they saved the dog. In truth, they saved each other.
Pets have been wonderful companions throughout my life. Each one was special in their own way. I know I will always have a dog or two. It is my hope that people who have found solace and gratification in having a pet for the first time will continue to do so for many years to come. We depend on our pets, and they depend on us.
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
― Anatole France
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Are your pets comforting to you? What are your day-to-day interactions? How do you benefit each other? As pet lovers, I’d like to think so. If you’d like to have a conversation, let’s talk about it!!!
