How Can Dogs Make Us Happy?

Dogs are honorary therapists with the ability to calm and cajole the most distraught human. Their bright eyes, soft fur, and droopy ears touch the heart with gladness in a way only dogs can. Once inside a puppy love bubble, it’s easy to embrace happiness as our fur-baby friends make every day better than the last. 

Apart from being canine counselors, they are also great for our health. Dr. Doggy has a paw full of tricks and natural healing is his or her forte. Dogs know the secret to happiness and are willing to share it with their human friends. If you are wondering how a dog could make you happy, grab a coffee and keep reading.

Dogs are love magnets and can make you deliriously happy when they stare into your eyes with their favorite toy in their mouth. Do they know the power they have over us mere mortals when they respond to our loving words with tail-wagging happiness? Dogs have got us right under their paw as they twitch their whiskers to make us laugh. They lap up our words and get comfy on the couch, ready for a petting session when "The Simpsons," is about to start.

They are cozy comforters who offer support when life takes a turn for the worst. They whine at the sight of your sad face and raise their paw - hoping to cheer you up. Something in their soul makes you smile and they let out a yelp and play-bow, knowing they’ve done their job. Our dogs make the best friends who’ll always have your back and be there for you in sickness and health

Who could ask for more than a loved pup that shares your home, but did you know they could make you live longer and help you maintain a healthy heart? This super-techy information age has taken a toll on us all, with more folks on the planet and the surmounting competition to make an honest buck. Striving to pay the mortgage, putting food on the table and keeping the kids in a top school puts pressure on our health, with stress being the major cause of heart attacks.

When faced with everyday hassles, our body releases adrenaline and cortisol, indicating a fight or flight situation. You’d expect this reaction from our ancestral cave dwellers when a Herculean dinosaur appeared on the path but in today’s fast-paced world, our blood pressure shoots up, putting us at high risk.

So how can a Bichon Frise, Boxer or Doberman help with that? Our pooches are holistic healers ready to jump up into your lap and calm your weary aura - as they flip onto their back waiting for a tummy rub. Getting high on pupster love releases a series of hormones (oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins), that help you find your inner Zen. It’s hard to stay stressed when your Mastiff brings you the lead and drools on your new carpet; signally it’s time for a walk. Dogs are comical clowns who naturally make you smile, as they lift their eyebrows at the sound of the word "treat", or wrinkle their face in dismay when it’s time for a trip to the vet.

Looking back in time, we see dogs were a huge hit with the ancients. Archeological digs have found dogs were highly revered long before folks thought the world was round. They were hunters, like their grandfather wolves, and companions to the Romans, Egyptians, and Greeks. According to “Gulf Coast Greyhounds,” early Egyptians had this breed on a pedestal and mourned their passing as companions.

There’s a debate about whether man domesticated wolves, but it’s more likely the wise ancestor of the dog became pals with early man as a way to survive in a changing landscape. Anyone who thought dogs were dumb should have asked an ancient, extinct grey wolf who was smart enough to unite with man when their hunting grounds were invaded by humans.

Our Beagles, Bulldogs, and Samoyeds are products of a breeding plan instigated by humans in every worldly nation. For thousands of years we’ve been busy making Poodles, Retrievers and Australian Shepherds - to herd the cattle or keep us warm at night.

Us humans can’t get enough of our planetary animals and form unusual kin-ships with cats, birds, rabbits, and mice. Animals doing cute things bring out the best side of our natures, as we feel happy watching a kitten playing with a ball of wool.

Why do we need pets to make us happy? The truth is dogs are honest, where some people are not - plus they never leave and kindly allow you to strive for every dream. On a psychological level, dogs might just be the best buddy you could ever have. Their loyalty is exquisite, while their ability to spot the faker at the park is definitely awesome. They aspire to make you happy and offer the gift of companionship.

As service dogs, they help a blind person see through their eyes, while the deaf are less afraid of a silent world. Therapy dogs can bring happiness to the mentally impaired, as they battle with depression or other psychiatric issues. There are even dogs to help kids with autism have a brighter day.

If you’re the shy type, your pooch will improve your social life as there's a secret club of dog owners who really love their mutts in every community. Ever noticed when you’re in the dog park how pooch-people chat openly about their lives? You could be talking to the local mayor or a celebrity you might never usually meet. Dogs are a great conversation starter as their guardians are nuts about their woofers.

Science Mag reports a study at the Azabu University in Japan, which found the mutual bonding of dogs and their guardians could be down to oxytocin, often referred to as the love hormone. Dogs and their owners spent 30 minutes staring at each other with puppy-love eyes. Urine samples showed the massive increase in the hormone throughout the process. Oxytocin is released when mother and child are bonding and it seems we get the same buzz with our mutts. An Austrian zoologist thinks the shapes of our woofers face inspires the “infant schema,” or cuteness button in our brains, likened to a mama with her baby.

Dogs make us happy with their funny, furry looks that melt our hearts at first glance. We know our health gets a boost when we befriend a pup but so does our self-esteem while taking care of a bundle of fluff. You can beat the loneliness blues with a canine companion and get a ton of exercise to keep your physician at bay. Walking with a pooch can help you lose weight and get fit at the same time.

For people struggling to feel joy or contentment, an emotional support dog might be just what the doctor ordered. This emotive angel can bring a little sunshine to the lives of people suffering from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress and mood disorders. A dog's naturally happy vibe will prove infectious for someone who has PTSS, as our pupsters are natural love magnets who make you want to smile.

The Chicago Tribune ran a poignant story about a veteran who had PTSS after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He suffered nightmares and used medication to ease his pain. He cites a Labrador/Mastiff dog as his saving grace and the reason he was able to recover. Sierra came from “K9’s for Veterans” and formed a bond with this war-weary veteran. His wife says the change has been amazing and believes Sierra has helped him find happiness.

Dogs love unconditionally and feel the emotions we have deep inside. Their endearing qualities make us happy and that's a paw-tastic gift!