There is evidence to suggestdogs evolved alongside usand consequently arein tune with our emotionsandbond with us through eye contact .
Although many aspects of this inter-species relationship are positive (particularly for us), it's likely there are some drawbacks to this close relationship with dogs.
Like many animals, we canshare diseases with our dogssuch as the superbugMRSAandQ Fever . What's more,dog bites are an issue of increasing importanceto society.
We know that failing to providing basic care like food and shelter is cruel, but we often overlook how disregarding the mental lives of our pets can also negatively impact their welfare.
Helping our dogs copeDogs aresentient animals . This means they can experience both positive and negative emotions, such as pleasure, comfort, fear, and anxiety.
A poor mental state, where a dog is regularly experiencing negative emotions such as anxiety,can lead to poor animal welfare . If owners have an impact on the stress levels of their dogs, it means we also play a role in protecting their welfare.
The impact we have on our dog's stress levels goes both ways - positive and negative. If we reduce our own stress levels, it's likely we will also reduce our dog's stress levels.
We know chronic stress is bad for bothhumansanddogs , increasing the likelihood we will get sick as well as decreasing our quality of life.
If you don't work on decreasing your stress levels for your own sake, perhaps you will do it for your dog. There aregreat resources availablefor decreasing stress levels, and the good news is that some of them, such asgetting out in nature , can be done with your dog right by your side.
A great way to reduce your stress: walking the dogs. Flickr/Ed Dunens
Bronwyn Orr , Veterinarian and PhD scholar,University of Sydney
This article is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article .
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