Welcome to the Who Are Those People Who Live Next Door Club. Membership is always a bit awkward, but if you have a dog, you probably chat with those neighbors anyway. Why the ease? A large Australian survey found that pets serve as a social lubricant, with 74% of pet owners saying they rarely or never find it hard to meet and get to know people (even if they can’t remember their names). But what’s less obvious is the possibility that your pet could be making you more fit for the company. We all know that a pet is a man’s (and woman’s) best friend: Our lives are richer for loving our pets and sharing that love with others. And research suggests something more profound: Our pets don’t just improve our lives, they also improve us. Read enough of the research and you start to wonder if our species might disintegrate into a chaos of petty isolationism if our pets weren’t here to aid our growth as humans. And as pets nudge this evolution, what’s fascinating is exactly which human traits they bring out in us.
In a pet’s paws, we become… More buoyant. A pet can foster hope during tough times. In one experiment, when study participants experienced the sting of social rejection and then were asked to think about their pets, their spirits lifted. “When we are at our worst, it’s often because we feel helpless. Our animal companions remind us of our ability to make a positive impact on the life of another—and that’s therapeutic,” says Pia Salk, a psychologist and spokesperson for Adopt-a-Pet.com. “The unconditional acceptance of a pet can mediate the corrosive effects of stress over time. It can inoculate us by providing the reserve needed for emotional resilience.” More agreeable. Prison inmates who care for animals tend to be less violent and have better social skills than pet-free inmates. Aggressiveness and other problem behaviors among Alzheimer’s patients drop significantly when a dog is around. Merely petting a dog or cat for 15 minutes lowers the stress hormone cortisol and causes the brain to release the calming hormone oxytocin. More relaxed. Sounds weird, but it works: Salk suggests making eye contact, matching your breathing rate to your pet’s, and listening to his or her heartbeat as you speak. Maybe even whisper your worries. And when you later cross paths with Chewy’s owner and find yourself surprisingly open to connection with the near stranger down the block, remember how you gained that gift. That’s worth at least one treat, yes? More from Prevention: 5 Ways To Keep Your Pet From Driving You Absolutely Crazy
