National Dog Day: The Joy of Having (Wo)Man’s Best Friend

Hey everyone!

Everybody knows that dogs are great companions to have around. I mean, there’s a reason why dogs are known as the most loyal friend ever. A dog would never betray you, or go behind your back. Not only are dogs the perfect best friend you could ever ask for, but also they can help and benefit your life in other ways as well.

Unfortunately for me, I don’t have a dog. Or any pet for that matter. I only got some plants, namely my aloe vera plant I’ve dubbed Bella. I’m thinking of getting a mint plant to grow too, and maybe even a eucalyptus plant too just because.

But that’s all besides the point.

I may not personally have a dog, but I can definitely speak for how beneficial they can be for our overall health.

I remember one day I was feeling quite down. I was in the worst mood ever, and I can’t recall exactly why, but it was just one of those days where I literally felt like crap. Every bad thing from weeks prior accumulated, and weighed me down with a heavy pit in my stomach. I didn’t want to talk to my friends because I knew that my bad mood would mean a lack of filter in what I say. However, out of the blue, one of my friends sent me a photo of his puppy, Snickers, and it literally made me feel ten times better. Keep in mind, I didn’t actually tell my friends I was feeling like crap that day. I led them to think I was busy. Although I do wonder if they could sense my bad mood through the very vague short phrases I sent in response to their messages that day. Regardless, that one photo of my friend’s overwhelmingly adorable puppy did manage to cheer me up.

My friend’s insanely cute Instagram-worthy puppy Snickers. I am so obsessed with Snickers its borderline crazy.

Just look at Snickers’ face!! How can you not love him? I wish he were mine.

But here’s the thing. It wasn’t just Snickers’ adorable face that cheered me up. It wasn’t simply because of appearances. No. Rather, the sight of such a pure, joyful face is what helped to bring me out of that crap mood just a bit. A face that’s full of innocence and joy, caught up in the moment and not dragged down by life’s ups and downs. A puppy who clearly lives in the moment, and ready to see the world for its beauty and charm, rather than the scratches and dents we ourselves tend to focus on.

You might argue that a baby could provide that same happiness too. Which is true. To some extent. When I see an innocent, adorable baby sure that may warm my heart a bit. But then I start to view that untarnished, pure soul in a vaguely maternal perspective. The thought of that kid growing up in the world we now live in starts to drag me down yet again. In a way, I start to view that baby as if he/she is the younger version of myself, and all of that drives my mind to run wild with crazy thoughts that brings back the crap mood. Can any of you guys relate to that?

On the contrary, it differs when I see a dog. Dogs can truly improve our health in more ways that I would have thought. In honor of National Dog Day coming up this Saturday, I wanted to share with you all the benefits of having a dog.

I was kinda able to put two and two together and understand how dogs can benefit our physical health in terms of exercise. Dogs obviously need to be walked, and having a dog in your life requires you to be more active than simply a life as a couch potato engaged in a demanding relationship with Netflix. Having a dog forces you to get up, and move your limbs more than reaching into that bowl of popcorn.

Of course, you can say you have a FitBit and a workout buddy to keep you on track. But honestly, how many times have you called and canceled on your workout buddy? How many times have you dragged your lazy ass out of bed to go to the gym, and painfully went through those repetitive movements praying for the workout to be over with? Everyone knows that the gym CANNOT compare to real life exercise. I’m talking about moving your body with exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise. That’s something having a dog could provide.

However, I wouldn’t have thought of how beneficial dogs are for our mental health. Until I reflected on my own experiences, that wouldn’t have been my first thought. Dogs are known as man’s best friend (and woman’s because we are living in the 21st century and equality is a thing) for a reason. I mean, you can probably argue that if you got a human best friend you can confide in them all your life’s troubles. Sure. But, it’s entirely different when you have a dog. That simplicity in affection and unconditional love from dogs are never put to question, unlike what could be said in terms of human best friends. Just read my post on Toxic Friends. That would never have happened if it were a puppy best friend.

I also remember reading somewhere before that dogs are used when helping those with autism and social behavioral disorders. (Disorders? Issues? Problems? I have no idea what the correct term is so apologies if that’s the wrong choice of word, don’t get offended) Dogs can bring people out of their shells, and provide a means of social interaction in a more wholesome way.

Something that I also didn’t know of was how dogs could be trained to do so much more. Dogs have the ability to gain many skills, such as detecting allergens in foods, or identifying when one is experiencing a seizure, and other crazy things that make me wonder if dogs are actually the superior species.

My friend Monique with her adorable puppy Kai. Kai loved the water at first and wanted to get in, but then got super freaked out after actually getting into the pool we filled up one hot summer day.

We often look down on dogs, and do not give them as much credit as they deserve. Dogs aren’t usually seen as the smartest or brightest, but honestly I think we just aren’t as aware of their capabilities. We are just narcissists living in a human-centered world, unaware of the ongoings of other species around us. Harsh, but true.

I thought I’d share with you all a few videos of my friend Monique’s adorable dogs, Kai and Kahlua. I am especially obsessed with Kai, because he’s still a small little puppy who loves kisses, cuddles, and attention. Every single time I hangout with Monique, I love visiting Kai and Kahlua as well. Their energy just fills the room with a positive vibe. There are times when my friends and I get together, and we start having intense, emotional conversations to catch up on everything that had happened in our lives. Having the dogs around definitely help to lighten the mood when we get emotional.

They are also super fun to have around in general. This past Fourth of July, we got together at one of my friend’s backyard and filled up a little kiddie pool with warm water and added a bath bomb. Yes, I know. We used a bath bomb outdoors in a kiddie pool under the hot sun. We are weird, it’s an established fact. Anyways, her dog Kai ran over to join us, and kept vacillating between wanting to get into the water with us and making an escape for dry land. It was so adorable and hilarious.

The fact that my close friends have dogs makes me like them more. Yeah I only stay friends with them for their dogs. Sorry, the truth is out guys! Haha just kidding.

The videos I’ve added in were from Snapchat, when my friends and I were hanging out and playing with her dogs. Apologies for my squeals and such because we were clearly a bit hyper and giggly that day.