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People will say there is nothing special about having a pet. They are just animals that take up too much of our time, too much of our money and too much room on the couch.
Fortunately, we never listen to those people.
Anyone who has a pet can speak of that special bond, of knowing the animal adores you and how good, how at peace it can make us feel just having them near us. And science is starting to agree. Having a pet has been shown to lengthen your life, improve the quality of that life and bring great joy.
Phil Tedeschi, a professor and researcher of the human-animal bond at the University of Denver, says our dogs constantly work to understand us and to fit into our lives.
Dogs watch us and wait for moments to make eye contact, which stimulates bonding and the so-called love hormone, oxytocin. In humans, that hormone has proven health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
Valentine’s Day seems the perfect time to reaffirm that special bond between humans and animals, and The Dog People at Rover.com, an online service of dog walkers and pet sitters, have some statistics to make us feel more comfortable about that $50 box of dog treats we just sprang for.
Rover.com surveyed more than a thousand dog owners across the country who are in relationships and found that nearly half of those pet parents have planned a Valentine’s Day celebration for their dog, including buying them a new outfit or baking a dessert.
The survey also found that 53 percent of people would consider ending a relationship if their partner didn’t get along with their dog, and that people tend to cuddle their dog as least as much as they cuddle their partner.
Love by the numbers
- One in three — The number of people who bring their dogs on dates with them, because they care that their dog and their potential partner get along (41 percent), that their dog is a good judge of character (30 percent), or that having their dog with them make them more at ease on the date (29 percent).
- 24 — The percentage of those surveyed who take more pictures with their dogs than with family and friends.
- 25 — The percent of people who spend more on their dogs than on their partners.
- 25 — The percent of millennials who have continued a relationship or friendship just because they liked the person’s dog.
- 33 — The percent of people who say they plan their weekends around their dog, finding activities the dog can participate in.
- 47 — The percent of people who cuddle more often with their dog than their partners.
- 67 — The percent of people who like to gaze lovingly into the eyes of their dog.
- 69 — The percent of people who say knowing someone is a dog lover makes them more attractive as a potential partner.
- 81 — The percent of people who use a baby or puppy voice when talking to their dogs.
So go ahead, spend some quality time with your pets and reap the rewards. That doesn’t mean you can’t share a romantic dinner with your human loved one, but spare some time for the dogs at the end of the day.
