I was sitting on my couch, trying to forget about the massive headache my common cold had very rudely handed to me, while my 2-year-old labradoodle was playing with her toys on the floor. I was doing my best to ignore her because any other sound that entered my head would pound on my skull like a jackhammer to a sidewalk.
Suddenly, her toy fell under the couch, and she started barking at me to get it for her. I ignored her still, so she barked. And barked. And barked. My head couldn't take anymore so I finally yelled at her to stop, As I put my hands on the side of my head, I could tell that she knew I wasn't feeling well. She came over and put her head on my lap, and I put my hand on her head to pet her fur. Curiously, I started to feel better.
Believe it or not, pets can do more than chase the mailman down the street. An article on associatedcontent.com said studies have shown that human interaction with animals is actually healthy. The connection creates an endorphin rush which relieves stress in the body, and a physiological response between the two lowers blood pressure and heart of both animal and human, giving a more relaxed feeling. Studies have even shown that heart attack patients who own pets are likely to have five times the survival rate of those who don't.
Animal companions have been used for years to significantly improve such physical and psychological conditions such as cancer, AIDS, autism, insomnia and even headaches. This phenomenon has led to the formation of therapy dogs: dogs trained to provide comfort to those in hospitals, retirement homes and areas of disaster. Beside improving physical issues, these dogs reduce the feeling of depression, hopelessness and panic as well. Apparently, dog really is man's best friend, and man's best tonic, too.
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