FINDING
HAPPINESS WITH PETS – PART 2
In Part 1, we discussed what happiness actually is and
then touched briefly on how pets can help.
In Part 2 lets discuss how pets help with happiness
shall we?
1. Give us better Self-Esteem.
a.
They do this by showing us their unequivocal love for
us.
i. Hence,
no matter what happens in our day we know they are there solely for us no
matter what!
2. Helps us be more conscientious.
a.
We need to think about another beings needs. Not just our own!
i. They
need water and food and exercise etc…
3. Keeps us more social.
a.
We need to get out of the house to exercise them.
i. This
means we might bump into people with other pets out and about.
b.
Our pets are a source of conversation. Other people with pets will also want to talk
about their pets.
4. Helps us with better inter-personal relationships.
a.
They teach us to show emotion by virtue of us giving
them time and love.
5. Reduces stress for us.
a.
By patting our pets we tend to de-stress.
b.
By exercising with our pets we de-stress.
c.
They take our focus off our concerns in life because
we have to focus on them when we get home.
i. Feeding,
patting, exercising, grooming etc…..
6. Those of us with pets experience being depressed or
lonely less.
a.
They are always there for company.
i. So
we are never alone.
b.
Their enthusiasm for life affects ours.
7. Keep us active physically.
a.
They make us exercise more because they need it and
demand it.
8. Build up and encourage resilience.
a.
They teach us about life and death and to value things
whilst we have them.
Further to these positive aspects of pet ownership, it
is important to recognize that other studies as reported in Psychology
Today, it doesn’t really matter what type of pet you actually have!
Regardless if you have a Horse, a Dog, a Cat, Guinea
pig, rabbit etc….. it has been found that it is more about what lies within the
pet owners mind than what the actual pet is that counts.
When we treat our pets like they are an extension of
us, our family, or our social group, we are giving them a certain human element
which allows our psyche to connect…… we anthropomorphize.
And this habit is unique to humans,
which is the one thing which allows us to connect so solidly to our pets……we
humanize them……think how we give them human names???
Pets don’t care for names……they just
want to be cared for a loved! But WE
care about names because that gives them identity.
This humanization of pets then becomes
really important to helping with our happiness……Be it a horse, dog, cat etc…… humanizing
something now means our mind can connect as though they were our human friends
and as such, our pets become a really important part of our social network.
Interesting stuff isn’t it!
Further to this, another study
presented in the Journal
of Personality and Social Psychology, found that pet owners enjoyed better
well-being ….. , and the support that pets provided complemented, rather than
competed, with human sources.
So the humanization means that our pets
aren’t necessarily competing with our friends or family, however they are
providing, or fulfilling, a gap which we may not be getting from those networks…..
I suppose none of this should really
surprise us!
I mean pets have been an integral part
of a humans life for thousands of years……
They began from a practical stand-point rather than an emotional
stand-point initially.
Dogs were protectors and helped us hunt…….Cats
helped keep vermin away…..and horses provided transport and carried heavy
loads!!!!
With this in mind, it’s little wonder
we have developed emotional connections……
But this is where we come in!
Now that we understand how pets make us
happy, we at Huds and Toke, feel we help with creating these connections.
As a business, we “Aim to Create
Awesome Memories” with the pets of the world…..and that’s how we can help with
your happiness…..
Our pets then do their part to keep us
with that feeling and then, most importantly, we need to continue to do our
part in this happiness equation!!!
Remember, pets are not the reason we
are happy…….we control this! They are
simply there to help with our happiness…..
So….now that we all understand
happiness better……AND we know for a fact that people with pets are happier,
healthier and less stressed than people without………go out and spend some time
with your animal family members…….
Being happy is better than the alternative.
Visit out site to get your awesome pet
treats to help and why not take some photos and send them to us???
All the best from the team here @ Huds
and Toke and from me…. Russell Gibbons.
"Creating Awesome Memories"
PS: Please feel free
to post a review on one of these review sites…….we appreciate the thought and
it all helps. Thanks.
