Reasons You Need a Dog.
The Happy Dog Journal™️
Hi Gang
Dogs are great, aren’t they? Those of us lucky enough to have one in our lives already know why we should have one. Or two. Or five.
But there is occasionally the odd wierdo who hasn’t decided to turn their home into a furry paradise, complete with chew marks in the furniture and a perpetually lumpy, half-dug up garden.
So here is a list of reasons why those people are missing out.
🐾 Love
Dogs don’t care if you’re having a bad hair day, if you burnt your toast, or if you’re in your pyjamas at 3pm. They love you — full stop. You are their best friend, their family and their world.
It should be noted, however, that dogs do not love unconditionally, in contrast to popular opinion. While dogs mostly do love their humans, if you are a less-than-kind owner and use aversive training methods, are cruel or negligent, your dog may fear you instead.
They have no choice in who they live with, so don’t make them live with a monster and expect them to be grateful. Give them the love and care they need, and they will repay you a million times.
🐾 Built-in exercise buddy
Even if it’s just a potter down the road or a good stomp through the woods, having a dog gives you a reason to get out and move your body (which is great for your mind too). Of course, not all dogs are happy to be on walks in some places or around triggers. The world can be a scary place. If your dog struggles while out on walks, do be sure to consult a behaviourist to help them beat their worries.
You, of course, can walk without your dog, if necessary.
🐾 Mental health booster
There’s actual science behind this — stroking a dog lowers stress hormones and boosts feel-good ones like oxytocin. Plus, it’s bloody hard to be in a bad mood when a dog is wagging at you and doing that goofy wiggly thing they do.
🐾 Social magnet
You need never be lonely when you have a scrumperdinger in your life.
Even if you’re the most introverted person in the village, a dog will bring random, lovely humans into your life — at the park, in cafés, even while you’re queuing for a coffee.
How many people admit to knowing all the local dogs’ names?
The shared experience of dog parenthood gives us something to break the ice with when talking to new people. Bonding with people over a floofer or two is a great way to stop feeling lonely, and if your dog is the social type, they might make some new friends too.
If your dog is not social, you can still whip out photos of them to show people at the drop of a hat. Who doesn’t love a good dog pic?
🐾 Sense of purpose
Knowing a little soul relies on you is deeply grounding. Especially during times when everything else feels a bit up in the air.
That little face, that trusts you to be the person who keeps their world turning, and loves you so very much for doing so, is the best reason to keep going when things are hard.
When the world is overwhelming, your dog is your North Star and will guide you through the most challenging days when you don’t want to get out of bed, let alone face the world. With the responsibility of caring for an animal, you must find your way through it all and keep going.
🐾 Laughter and joy
Dogs are just funny. Whether zooming around the garden at 100mph, making ridiculous faces, or sitting in the most inconvenient spot, they’ll make you laugh daily.
Twyla honks loudly like a warthog and folds herself in half, upside down, with her bottom pointing in your direction most evenings because she wants you to pat her bum cheeks. She will not stop honking until her bum is patted.
She also insists on carrying one ball around in her mouth, while dribbling another around the garden with her feet.
She puts balls in her water bowl to make you pick them up and then throw them out in the garden.
What quirks does the dog have in your life? You have no dog? You are missing out on all these giggles.
🐾 Companionship without pressure
Dogs don’t expect deep conversations or awkward small talk. They’re just there, your soft, breathing, comforting sidekick.
Nothing is better than a TV night with the hound, under a blanket, sharing some dog-safe snacks.
🐾 Learning and growth
Teaching a dog using Fun Not Fear® methods makes you more patient, kinder, and intuitive about emotions — theirs and yours.
A dog is an emotional, feeling, sentient being, and they have just as much to teach us about being a good human as we have to teach them about navigating the human world.
Spotted and sharing.
There is always a reason for EVERY behaviour. Rather than trying to stop a behaviour by suppressing their actions, we should concentrate on finding out what is behind the behaviour and work on that. Then we can solve the behaviour AND make our dogs happy too!
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Have a fantastic week!
Warm ‘n’ Fuzzies,
Freya xx
We have 3. A grumpy, 16 yr old Yorkie and a pair of 2 year old mini dachshunds. The girls are sisters from the same litter and have brought new life to our elderly dog.