Essay on The Many Benefits of Pet Ownership

As the saying goes, a dog is a man’s best friend. The dog is a loving companion to a man. He is happy to go everywhere with his master. He shows his affection for his master by wagging his tail and licking his hand or face. This timeless relationship continues to evolve into new kinds of human-dog interactions that increasingly benefit society.

Man’s best friend: you would think that that title would conjure up images of humans, or even our closest cousins in the animal kingdom, such as monkeys, apes, and chimpanzees. However, the first image that enters most humans head is the same image that would have induced fear hundreds of years ago, the not so distant heir to the wolf: dogs. The same creatures that we feuded with for survival now take up a huge part of our lives and make up a large portion of the images littering the internet. Dogs take part in everything from movies to family gatherings, to search and rescue and emotional or physical service. Nearly fifty percent of American households alone have at least one dog, and between all of us we own 83.3 million dogs, a number not to be trifled with. The place our four-legged canine companions claim is undisputed and easily backed up.

The effects of pet ownership have been shown to be beneficial for humans as well as animals in need of a home. People purchase pets for a variety of reasons, spanning from a need to get more exercise, a desire for companionship, to a desire for unconditional love. Other people simply just love animals and their lives feel complete without a furry friend. However, not all of the causes of pet ownership are positive. Some people purchase a pet because they think the animal looks cute but abandon the pet after they discover the hard work it requires to train it and keep it healthy. Other people do so out of ego, such as purchasing a large, vicious pet they hope will intimidate others and later find they cannot control. The motivational causes of owning a pet will determine the eventual effects of ownership.

Historically dogs have served many purposes for humans. They have been used for hunting rodents, disposing of pesky rodents, fighting wars, protecting people as well as valuables, and tending to livestock (Staats et al, 2008). In today’s American society, dogs have become a first option to serve as companions and new additions to families. However, that is not the only purpose that canines serve. Dogs can also be of assistance to people with disabilities, military and police services, and therapeutic practices as well as a companion. To accommodate to the growing demand for pet or service dogs, it has become increasingly easier to buy or adopt them. There are now many options of how to obtain a dog. There are options such as breeders, Petland,

Rushing into an over crowded library, a man glances at a scuffed, plastic display containing bookmarks printed with various clichéd phrases. Among those phrases is "A dog is a man's best friend". Without thought, he rolls his eyes and continues. How could a dog mean so much to someone that they consider it their best friend? At a point in my life, I would have done the same as him. That is, of course, until I lost my best friend.

June 15, 2016, I had finally understood the importance that dogs had on humans. Walking into Rescue Village on that beautiful Summer day, my heart was racing because I knew it was the day I could adopt my first rescue dog. This day made my life completely different from that point forward. I chose to adopt a dog and to care for her and I was now not only responsible for myself but for a helpless dog. According to the Animal Welfare Institute, I am not the only one who chose to take on the responsibility of a dog, “Sixty-two percent of all U.S. households – more than 72.9 million total – include one more companion animals” (Companion Animal). A companion animal is defined as, “… our best friends, confidents, and help make the family complete”

Cherniack, E. P., and Ariella R. Cherniack. "The Benefit of Pets and Animal-Assisted Therapy to the Health of Older Individuals." Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research (2014)ProQuest. Web. 23 Sep. 2016.

For hundreds of years, dogs have served as the benefactor for man. However, beyond their vigilant nature, their firm sense of loyalty enables them to form a kinship with their owner that is unsurpassable. While dogs’ companionship is often detailed in books and movies, their devout obedience translates off the screens and pages and is utilized by humans in a variety of ways, such as; a companion, protector, or guide for the disabled. However, as with any relationship, the pair faces obstacles or challenges that invokes camaraderie and deepens their emotional bond. As a result, both the life of the dog and his owner benefit physically and emotionally from their unrelenting kinship.

In, Service Dog Helps a Local Fourth Grader Manage Rare Disease, and, Canine Courage, and, The dog of Pompeii, It is clear that dogs are man’s best friend. Evidence can be seen in all three articles. For example, dogs are loyal. As well as a great companion. Not to mention, they are great at helping and participating in rescues. Dogs really are the best friend anyone can have.

Most people who own a pet of some sort know that they have a very strong emotional connection to their animals. Man’s best friend. When they read the title they think of their pets and begin to realize all of the great lengths they would go to protect their animals. In some cases pets are more important to the owners than the owner themselves. As you begin to read

Approximately thirty-seven to forty-seven percent of households in America own a dog. With nearly half of the country owning this pet, it makes me wonder, what is so special about them? I personally own an exceptional Rottweiler named Mocha, and I must say I cannot imagine my life without her. I believe that dogs are outstanding pets to have for two main reasons; first of all, they are beneficial to the owner’s health, and second they provide their owners with protection from a multitude of dangers.

Dogs from little to big, playful to calm, and even fur to hair, are features many care about when adopting a puppy as a part of their family. For some, dogs are more than a “man’s best friend.” They are used for assistance for people with disabilities. Military, police service and people with mental disabilities are helped therapeutically by these furry animals. With approximately 78.2 million dogs in the United States, approximately 39 percent of U.S households owns at least one dog. For many years, humans have selectively bred dogs to bring about certain desired traits. This selective breeding has managed to produce hundreds of different dog breeds. However, according to The National Humane Education society, “breed manipulation can be a

Pet ownership is increasingly popular and the pet business is growing at record rates. The Stay & Play will offer its customers a variety of upscale services not available at other locations and will allow for “one stop” need fulfillment. The timing is right for this venture as animal care is becoming more sought after and pet related spending is at an all-time high. (Pet, 2016) Young professionals who consider their pets a part of the family are spending money on services to enhance the quality of their pet’s lives. (Stevenson, 2016) Thus, the professional services that we will offer including day care, grooming, and boarding in a safe and healthy environment will be largely sought after especially as we combine it with convenience and premium customer service.

Did you know that between 37-47% of all households in the U.S. have a dog? Dogs can protect children from skin conditions and diseases and are man’s best friend. Not one dog has the same personality so any dog is very special big or small. Every dog breed has their pros and cons, but they are all needed for something. Dogs do some very unusual jobs some dogs are trained to sniff out bedbugs and some are even trained to sniff out turtles.Dogs do so many jobs that we don’t really think it and they have always been there for us.

Dogs have been man’s best friend since the first humans domesticated and lived with wolves tens of thousands of years ago. They hunted, ate, lived, and slept side by side for millennia until the once terrifying wolves became the lovable labdogs we have today. My best friend is my dog, Chief, and I wouldn’t be who I am if not for him. Before we found Chief, we tried adopting another dog, but it didn’t work out. A year later we found chief and took him in. Though it took some time to adjust, Chief had become my most beloved family member and my life is incomplete without him in it.