Why dogs matter
They steal into our hearts, become companions we can’t imagine life without, and keep us healthier and happier. It’s no wonder we love our dogs, says Fiona Gibson…
Our three kids have left home, but that’s OK. As my husband and I have Jack to cuddle, we are never lonely. In fact, since the children’s departure to university, our love of our scruffy Collie Cross has ramped up to obsessional levels.
Are we trying to fill the void? No, of course not! That would be rather pathetic and sad. It’s just that, now the kids no longer allow me to choose things for them, I’ve funnelled my shopping urges towards the buying of squeaky toys, doggie blankets and a new, fetching red leather collar for Jack. When we went looking for a new sofa recently, Jimmy and I discussed whether it would be sizeable enough to accommodate him fully stretched out, as is his preference when we are watching TV.
“The dog’s getting fat!” is the usual refrain whenever our offspring come home. Well, yes, admittedly, he might enjoy slightly more treats these days. Is he pampered? Quite possibly. I would say he’s a rescue dog, but in fact he has rescued us from feelings of redundancy and abandonment now our children no longer want to hang out with us.
If that sounds extreme, we are not alone – since the 70s, the UK’s dog population has soared from 5 million to over
8 million, according to data compiled by The Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (26% of households now include a dog, compared with 18%, who have a cat).
In my own social circle, even my most houseproud friends have acquired Poodles and Schnoodles, fashionable “teddy bear dogs” such as Cockerpoos and Teacup Terriers and, in one case, a gigantic St Bernard, the type you’d expect to bring you brandy if you were stranded on an Alpine precipice. However, Jackson resides in central Liverpool. Amazingly, he is allowed to sleep on the humans’ bed. “I thought you said that was disgusting?” I asked Kate, on spying him sprawling luxuriantly on her duvet cover. “Oh, but look at him,” she gushed. “He’s so happy. I don’t have the heart to shoo him off.”
When we adopted Jack seven years ago, it was on the condition that he would “never be allowed on the furniture”. He was curled up in an armchair, on my favourite cushion, within 20 minutes of moving in.
If our dogs have the run of our homes, we are shaping our social lives around them too. Set up in 2013, London Lowriders unites Dachshund owners with up to 400 sausage dogs trotting along en masse at their regular events. Pug Cafe (pugcafe. com) is a pop-up event across UK cities where you can meet fellow lovers of the curly-tailed breed, while your pooch tucks into a “wuffin” washed down with a “puguccino”. Naturally, we’re keen to take our dogs on holiday too: 27% wouldn’t think of leaving them behind, according to an American Express survey. With 500 dog-friendly UK beaches for us to choose from, holiday companies are seeing a dramatic rise in the “hound pound”.
When she worked for Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, Susan Stuart witnessed the bond between human and dog at close quarters. “Often, we have a dog for 12 to 16 years – longer than many human relationships,” she says. Susan now owns The Four Seasons Hotel at St Fillans, on the shores of stunning Loch Earn, Perthshire (thefourseasonshotel.co.uk), which offers dog walking and grooming, an extensive pet menu, and a warm welcome for canine and human guests alike. “People with dogs play and talk with them,” she adds, “so we see their owners truly relaxing here. Dog owners talk to each other in the same way that parents chat about their children, so it’s sociable too.” Jimmy and I stayed there – with Jack, of course – two days after my mother’s funeral. A weekend >>
‘On your very worst day, you’re still a hero to your dog – the person they most want to be with’
spent walking and cosying up in the hotel – where four dogs were snoozing peacefully in the bar – worked wonders for restoring my sanity.
“On your very worst day, you’re still a hero to your dog, the person they most want to be with,” says Debora Robertson, a devout dog lover and author of Dogs’ Dinners: The Healthy, Happy Way to Feed Your Dog (Pavilion Books). Debora particularly loves the welcome she receives from her Terriers Barney and Gracie whenever she comes home.
“It’s the most life-enhancing thing. I think they make me a better person, more accepting of other people’s foibles. The relationship we have with our dogs is so completely accepting and unconditional.”
Plus, our dogs need exercise, which gets us moving and the health boosts are clear. Being close to your dog has also been shown to increase levels of the “love hormone” oxytocin, which in turn lowers blood pressure and stress levels, and even incidences of depression, according to a Japanese study.
So, when friends ask if Jimmy and I miss our kids, I pull a pained face and say we are “coping”… then I consider how lucky we are to have Jack, who will never throw an impromptu party when we’re out, or find us too embarrassing to be seen with in public.
To him, we are perfect. In fact, compared with living with teenagers, sharing your life with a dog is a walk in the park.