Anonymous Heroes

In such a stressful world, we want to give value to the heroes who helped us anonymously during the pandemic.

With each passing day, pets play a more important role in society. Not only because of the company they keep us, but because of what is being achieved in many other fields.

“When people are asked why their dog is important to them, what their dog brings them, people talk about companionship. It is the feeling of belonging to a group that includes the family dog. It keeps people busy." François Martin.

If you are on this blog, it is because you surely already have a furry love that has changed your life. And if you don't already have one, we've got some useful information that can help you decide if you're considering getting one.

During the year 2020 and 2021 humanity went through one of the highest levels of stress and depression for this generation. According to a study conducted by researcher Francois Martin, having a dog was one of the factors that helped pet owners cope with harsh isolation and gave them a stronger sense of social support in the face of negative psychological effects unleashed by the pandemic.

This research concluded that receiving the unconditional affection of a dog reduces our anxiety, compared to those who did not have much company and comfort during those days. Martin explains that interactions with dogs are not based on who we are or what our social competence is, unlike our interactions with other human beings, which gives us a sense of relief knowing that we are loved and accepted without prejudice.

We have many experiences that undoubtedly show how pets have helped us in our lives. They help create more social responsibility in children and unity in the family environment. Children with autism have reacted like never before since they had a puppy. Stress levels related to having a dog can drop for various reasons, to mention a few we include exercise when taking it for a walk, which is accompanied by sunbathing, fresh air and interacting with other people. Also the fact of seeing them play, sleep and caress their hair, does not give a peace that we can rarely explain. In addition to releasing oxytocin, our dog has the power to activate the production of other happy hormones, namely dopamine and serotonin. Serotonin regulates your mood and social skills, while dopamine, the reward hormone, controls pleasure and emotions.

The study was published December 15 in the journal PLOS One.

However, there are some factors that we must take into account before having a dog. While it is true that our anxiety and stress levels drop, in other people it can be the opposite, that is, it will always depend on the owner. We will talk about this in the next article.