DOG DAY AFTERNOONS
Dogs are not only our best
friends, they can also have a positive impact on our health, says Nick
Howes
Picture the scene: you are greeted by a bright happy face that’s bursting
with love. They just can’t wait to cuddle you and cover you with kisses;
they are fascinated by every word you say. The perfect partner? For some,
maybe. But I am talking here about a dog.
I adore dogs and they have been central to my life since I was a child and
I can’t spend enough time with them. They are wonderful, remarkable
creatures; genuine, open and honest, unselfish and warm, and completely unconcerned
about colour, sexuality, or HIV status. They are also fabulous company and
enjoy yours enormously too. In other words, they are chock full of qualities
that some of us struggle to find in many human beings.
Dogs are good for your health and wellbeing. There are many examples around the world of ‘doggy therapy’, where dogs are used to help people to feel better and recover from illness. There are many examples of schemes where patients are encouraged to spend time with dogs in hospitals and hospices, but that is the tip of the iceberg. Countless people have far better lives because of the time they spend with dogs looking after them. In fact many people would feel unable to go on without dogs in their lives.
All dogs need exercise and you need to provide that. This means you get out
in the fresh air a couple or more times a day. That’s good for you and
is easily manageable even when you feel tired because it doesn’t involve
anything too strenuous. And if you feel unmotivated or it’s wet and
windy, your mood will quickly be lifted by the sight of the the dog’s
excited happy face at the sight of the lead.
Dogs are tactile animals and love being stroked and cuddled. This is calming
for you and has been shown among other things to lower blood pressure and
ease stress and tension. The love of a dog also gets your feelgood endorphins
flowing. Medical studies have shown that happier people have stronger immune
systems.
Dogs are extremely affectionate creatures. They raise your spirits and make
you feel special and loved. This helps to combat any feelings you have of
loneliness, boredom and rejection and, at the same time, boosts your self
confidence and self esteem. Whatever else happens in life they will always
adore you and take you out of life’s day to day travails, compensating
for any bad things that happen.
More than that, dogs are very interactive and have strong and consistent personalities.
They help you develop your social skills and ability to bond with another
creature and to build and maintain a meaningful emotional connection. They
make you feel happy and that is good for you - the more time you spend feeling
happy, the more you are able to look on other areas of your life with hope
and optimism.
Spending time with dogs helps you realise that there is far more to existence
than all things human. You feel a far stronger connection to the world as
a whole in all its wonderful diversity of creatures, not just the so-called
civilisation we have created. And many dog lovers feel very friendly towards
each other and, when out with a dog, you will often find it far easier to
strike up a conversation with another person with a dog.
Looking after dogs and seeing them happy and prospering is also good for your
soul. Every day you can see before you the fruits of something really good
you are doing for another creature and you rightly feel good about that yourself.
You are achieving something tangible and worthwhile and real in life.
A dog really is for life not just for Christmas - and that’s not just
a slogan. You should not even think about getting one if you do not have suitable
accommodation and the time and commitment to look after one properly.
Thankfully dog ownership is not the only way of spending time with dogs, enjoying
their company and gaining the health benefits they provide. You could, as
I do, look after a friend’s or neighbour’s dog at certain times
(especially if they work and you don’t) or even advertise locally to
do some dog sitting or walking.
Alternatively, many dog shelters have volunteer schemes. I have been a volunteer
at a dog shelter for nearly two and a half years, socialising and walking
dogs two or three days a week. An added benefit of doing this, if you are
not working, is that you can build lots of skills and confidence and get something
good on your CV without any of the pitfalls of leaving benefits for paid work.
And no, my HIV status wasn’t an issue when I applied. The people there
spent a few minutes discussing with me whether there were any medical limitations
on the work I could do before moving on to what actually mattered: what I
could do for the dogs. It’s not just the dogs there that aren’t
prejudiced.
• Nick is 42 and lives with his partner in South London. se1nick@aol.com
