Useful and medicinal properties of the dog. Interesting beneficial properties of dogs for humans have been revealed Is it good for health to have a dog

Dogs have faithfully served man for thirty thousand years. And if earlier they helped a person to get food, hunting with him, and guarded his home from encroachment, now he increasingly lives in an apartment.

The benefits of dogs for humans can be divided into two categories:
1) "Service" - this category includes dogs involved in various jobs.
2) "Aesthetics" - the benefits of dogs is to deliver aesthetic pleasure to a person, these are companion dogs that live in houses.

Service dogs are often bred at home. They are more trainable and have high intelligence. But do not expect that such a dog without proper training will show all these qualities, because proper education comes first.

Experts also warn against such a responsible step as taking a dog into the house, which has been in the service for a long time. It is noted that such four-legged friends show too much zeal in their professional skills. So a shepherd dog can be pretty nervous if family members are in different rooms. And there will be no benefit from a dog in the house if she constantly tries to change the family way of life for herself.

The benefits of a dog in the house

What are the benefits of having dogs in the home? Yes, the most varied. She relieves a person of loneliness, reduces stress levels and can even be a nanny for a small child! In addition, daily walks with the dog help to strengthen the immune system and improve overall health.

The most important thing is to choose the breed that will best suit the character, age and lifestyle of the owner. Dogs are usually bred by those people who lack communication and a sense of security.
Such a faithful friend with a competent
upbringing is able to become reliable
human protection and support.

The dog creates comfort and a good microclimate in the family, because its positive attitude and the joy of being next to the owner cannot but be transmitted to all family members. In a house where a four-legged pet lives, children from an early age will learn to treat all animals responsibly and with love.

The benefits of a dog for humans

The benefits of dogs are not only psychological. Four-legged friends help treat some serious ones - autism, senile dementia, mental disorders. Treatment with the help of dogs is called canister therapy.

Thanks to their loyalty and friendliness, a person gets rid of depression and social phobia, learns to interact with the outside world. In European countries and in the USA, dogs often live in nursing homes and are part of general therapy. This way, older people experience states of despondency more easily, absent-mindedness disappears, and motor functions improve.

Children with various forms of autism are also advised to start a dog in the family, or at least sometimes walk and play with it. Communication with a four-legged friend allows the child to open up to the world and learn social interaction.

Are dogs helpful? The unequivocal answer is yes. A dog is a true friend, an excellent companion, a protector, and just a creature that loves you just because he has you!

Those whose families have a dog can confirm that as soon as you bring this cute creature into the house, the life of all family members changes at that very moment. This active pet has a positive effect on human health. Forced morning walks will help recharge your energy that will accompany you all day, and evening runs with your puppy will ensure a calm and easy falling asleep. In addition, you can take your dog with you anywhere: to nature, to such an institution as the Kutuzovskaya sauna, and to the park. Fresh air, daily jogging and playing with your pet - all this is much more interesting, and even more useful than spending time in a cramped apartment.

But the joy of communicating with an animal is not the only positive thing. A group of researchers over the years have observed different children. They came to the conclusion that in those families where there is a dog, children have better immunity and they have fewer allergies in the future, they can safely take a steam bath. Scientists cannot fully analyze and explain this phenomenon, but there are some guesses. The dog is often on the street, where it collects a lot of dust, dirt, its coat absorbs everything like a sponge. And no matter how the owners of the animal try to get rid of all this, no matter how often they bathe the dog, microbes still remain. It can be assumed that in children, thanks to the protective forces of the body, immunity is developed. That is why those who grew up with shaggy animals subsequently develop allergies much less often than those who lived in isolation from them. If you have not dared to get a dog before because of fear that it will harm the health of the child, then you can safely acquire a pet that will soon become a favorite of the whole family. It was also found that such a positive effect is manifested only if the child constantly lives with the animal. Periodic communication with dogs of friends and neighbors does not give such an effect.

However, this does not mean at all that a dog can help cure those who already suffer from allergic diseases. The animal is able to strengthen the immunity of children who do not yet suffer from an illness. If one of the family members has a predisposition to this disease, in this case, doctors do not recommend having pets. Because it can provoke the appearance of allergic reactions in the child. In such a situation, other ways should be found to improve the health of the whole family, for example, it is useful to regularly visit cheap saunas or apply cold water dousing in the mornings and evenings.

Health

You may not be completely convinced that animals can positively affect your health, especially when you clutch your heart at the bill issued by the veterinarian. In fact, there are many benefits to having pets. According to some data, including those based on real scientific studies, it turned out that dog owners turn out to be healthier than those who do not have pets.

They can spot cancer

In 1989 in the magazine The Lancet An article was published that told of a patient who reported that her dog sniffed at a mole on her leg and once tried to bite it off. The hostess thought of going to get checked, and it turned out that there really was a malignant melanoma in this place.

Not only can dogs detect skin cancers, some can also detect other types of cancer: bladder, breast, lung, ovarian, and colon cancers. A specially trained eight-year-old black Labrador named Panda was able to accurately detect colorectal cancer in 33 out of 37 cases based on stool samples provided by the researchers. What's more, according to an article published in Gut this year, Panda was also able to detect colon and rectal cancer at an early stage with great accuracy.

It is not yet known exactly how the dog detects the disease: using the sense of smell, it detects specific unknown, rapidly evaporating components associated with the tumor, or it smells typical substances that are associated with an increased risk of developing cancer, for example, metabolites after smoking. However, in this experiment, Panda identified cancer patients among those who had inflammation, smokers, or who had other diseases.

They will help you be more active.

Of course, it's no secret that dog owners have to be outdoors more often, walk or even train with them. Dogs, more than other pets, require regular walks and love to be played with by their owners.

According to a 2010 study published in the journal American Journal of Public Health, children who have dogs spend more time on vigorous exercise compared to those who do not have dogs. The same is true for adult dog owners.

In 2006, Canadian scientists from University of Victoria researched and found out that dog owners lead an active lifestyle to a greater or lesser extent. On average, they walk about 300 minutes a week. Those who don't have dogs spend an average of 168 minutes a week walking.

The difference between those who have dogs and those who don't is not that big, but it's still quite significant.

It does not always happen that the owner has a desire to regularly walk the dog. According to a 2006 study by scientists from Johns Hopkins University, despite the fact that the dog obliges the owner to walk with it daily, only a part of the owners walk the dog more than 3 times a week, and usually these are elderly people. Your pets can walk the dog, or you can just let it out into the yard on your own. If you are too lazy to walk your dog, then there will be no special health benefits in this case.

They can warn of low blood sugar

Some trained dogs can detect low blood sugar levels. According to a magazine article british medical journal in 2000, more than one third of dogs with diabetic owners can change their behavior when their owners' sugar levels drop, even when the patient is unaware of it. Two cases were recorded when dogs not only determined this, but also encouraged the owners to eat.

It's not yet clear exactly how the dogs detected this, but it's possible they may have noticed muscle contractions or their owners' scent changes, according to the scientists. Perhaps dogs can be trained to do this.

They may reduce the risk of eczema

Many patients worry about their children interacting with dogs, which they believe can lead to allergies or eczema. However, preliminary studies have shown that children are less likely to develop eczema by the age of four if they are exposed to dogs from early childhood.

In a study published in the journal Journal of Pediatrics in 2011, 636 children took part. It was found that problems were observed to a lesser extent in those who had a dog in the house. In fact, even children who are predisposed to dog allergies do not increase their risk of developing eczema if they have a pet.

Before you get a dog for your child, remember that more research is needed in this area. Other studies have shown that some children have an increased risk of asthma if they have a dog in the house.

They can help with epileptic seizures

The task of a dog that helps people with seizures is the same as that of guide dogs - to help a person in daily activities and protect him from dangers. There are many organizations in the US that train dogs to help people with epilepsy. In most cases, these animals are trained to recognize specific changes in the behavior or gestures of patients.

Some believe that dogs can warn owners that a seizure is coming, allowing them to take their medication on time, go to a safe place, or call for help. However, there has been too little research to date to support the notion that dogs can actually predict when an attack is coming.

In the journal Neurology two articles appeared in 2007 arguing that all data on this issue were obtained from the patients themselves and their relatives, so they may be biased. Despite this, scientists argue that some dogs may be more responsive to psychological seizures, which are related to emotional problems and are somewhat different from epileptic seizures. In one reported case, a dog caused a non-epileptic seizure by licking its owner's face.

Although some scientists question the fact that dogs can warn of an impending seizure, most agree that helping dogs with epilepsy patients is very important.

They may discourage you from eating food that causes allergies.

Some dogs are good at sniffing out illegal substances or even detecting bombs. However, it is assumed that the sense of smell in dogs also helps to identify allergens.

In people with severe peanut allergies, even the slightest smell of peanuts can trigger a reaction. A peanut-spotting dog could be a real treasure for such people, dog training institute claims. Florida Canine Academy. After hard training, these animals are able to smell peanuts in the room, for example, if the peanuts are in a biscuit lying on the table, or in a candy hidden in a bag.

People with this form of allergy should always be on the lookout and carry epinephrine with them in case of a dangerous situation. In this case, a dog that smells peanuts will help them be more calm.

They help you recover from illness

Dogs are allowed to participate in many programs at hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

"Dog Therapy" helps to stimulate mobility, interpersonal contacts and socialization in patients.

According to a 2005 review in the journal british medical journal, dogs act as "social catalysts" to help people interact with others and reduce feelings of loneliness, especially in elderly patients with physical disabilities.

Dog owners are better at coping with stressful situations, which goes a long way in helping to avoid stress-related illnesses.

The researchers also found that dog owners are less likely to die from heart attacks compared to those who do not have pets.

Why is a dog valued? First of all, for her dedication. She loves her master simply for what he is, regardless of his material well-being, social status, appearance. It is this fidelity and unconditional love that creates a world for a person in which he is comfortable and in which he is not alone.

Thanks to dogs, people feel that someone needs them, someone admires them and loves them. It is an effective cure for depression.

This is especially important for the elderly. It is not for nothing that dogs are kept in nursing homes abroad, which help people compensate for some age-related manifestations.

If older people get dogs at home, then they have to be outdoors more often, go to the store to buy food. Often, caring for a four-legged pet becomes the meaning of the life of an elderly person. In addition, dogs help their owners to expand the circle of friends and acquaintances. Of course, such a tool helps mainly those who love dogs since childhood.

A group of scientists from the United States studied the impact of human interaction with dogs on depression. The study involved 6 thousand people. It turned out that four-legged friends reduce the likelihood of developing depression by 60-70%. Dogs also help to recover after long-term treatment. The appearance of a beloved dog in the hospital brings even more emotions than communication with relatives.

By the way, the therapeutic effect of four-legged friends is called canister therapy.

Dogs for mental disorders

According to American scientists, dogs can significantly improve the condition of children with autism. They seem to be returning from another world to the real one.

In people with disabilities or suffering from psychological illnesses, self-esteem increases, the state of loneliness disappears, and faith appears in solving internal problems.

It is not uncommon for four-legged pets to save their owners from possible suicide. No matter how gloomy the inner state was, the sight of a pet charged them with positive energy, brought them back to life.

Facts about the benefits of cats

James Serpell, from the Animal Research Group at the University of Cambridge, is of the opinion that pets seem to radiate kindness and support, something that human relationships lack.

In some countries, such as the UK and the US, dogs help people with epilepsy. No one can explain how the smaller tailed brothers feel the approach of an attack of illness, but they do it perfectly.

When the patient's consciousness turns off, they substitute their body: in this way, they absorb the blows during seizures of those for whom they took "responsibility". In addition, in case of accidents, dogs can call for help by turning to other people.

Dogs for children

Animals can be great teachers for children. Even toddlers learn to observe, draw conclusions, and anticipate consequences. This can be understood by observing the communication of a child with a dog. Without saying anything, they understand each other and are friends.

Dogs teach children kindness and responsiveness. They can instill in the child a respectful attitude towards others.

In adolescents, a tailed friend reduces manifestations of aggression, develops a sense of responsibility, tolerance, kindness, and independence. This is a devoted, understanding companion.

In addition, dogs broaden their horizons. Children learn the peculiarities of animal nutrition, their behavior, understand the need to care for loved ones.

And besides, it is important that dogs perform the duties of guards. Even small dogs can scare off thieves with their barking and attract the attention of households. With such a friend, it is less dangerous to leave children alone in the apartment.

Dogs for the heart and immunity

Dog lovers suffer less from hypertension. It is believed that by creating contact with a pet, stroking its fur, a person improves heart rate, breathing, and pressure. In addition, dog saliva contains the enzyme lysozyme, which destroys pathogenic microbes.

Studies have shown that those who keep dogs in the house lower the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Some dog owners claim that to improve their well-being, it is enough for them to simply have a tail nearby.

Those suffering from heart disease or excitable people are advised to have calm pets. Scientific studies in Canada and Australia have shown that dog owners are less likely to visit doctors and use medication less often.

Scientists from universities in Finland and Germany found that children in contact with dogs are 50% less likely to suffer from eczema, dermatitis, and asthma.

Some pregnant women admitted that dogs in the house helped them to endure toxicosis more easily. This can be explained by the fact that the pet distracted attention from the unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy.

A few words about dog hair. Warm mittens made of such wool protect well from frost, and belts and scarves help in the treatment of sciatica.

Healing rocks

Dog breeds such as Labrador and Shar Pei have a good calming effect. Collie, Giant Schnauzer, Boxer, Airedale Terrier, St. Bernard, Newfoundland are good for children.

Large dogs can be of great help. Large dogs have a high activity of the cardiac alpha rhythm. And if you put your hand to the area of ​​his heart every day, then the dog will become a kind of “pacemaker” for you. US scientists have found that pet lovers have the highest survival rate after a heart attack. Observations during the year after the attack showed that the health of such people was restored better than the rest.

Superiority in therapeutic effect belongs to the Chinese crested dog. There is no hair on her body, and her body has a high temperature. It is believed that high degrees help in the treatment of sciatica, skin diseases, joint diseases.

Dogs to save the family

Observations in the United States of married couples have shown that those who kept dogs went through troubles more easily and resolved conflicts faster than "dogless" couples. One of the explanations for this phenomenon is that pets unite the family, create common interests.

Dogs for sports

Those who have a dog, willy-nilly, are forced to walk it every day, and in any weather. And it's a good sport. Some pets have an energetic nature, forcing their owners to walk quickly or even run. By the way, every day the owner with the dog walks long distances - from one to ten kilometers. Agree, without a dog it is difficult to force yourself to take a walk. Dogs play the role of both an alarm clock, forcing the family to wake up, and a simulator.

60% of dog owners say they never miss a walk with their dogs under any circumstances. But among those involved in fitness clubs, there are only 24% of such fans. 78% of dog owners enjoy walking with their pet, compared to only 46% of “fitnessmen”. Dog owners spend 5 to 7 hours a week moving. Involved in fitness - from 2 to 3.5 hours.

It turns out that dogs, helping their owners to engage in physical education, prevent the development of obesity, reduce the possibility of cardiovascular diseases, myocardial infarction, and prolong life.

There are people who love dogs. And there are those who love them even more!
From the point of view of science, there are irrefutable arguments in favor of communication between a dog and a person.
Friendly contact with animals improves all indicators of both psychological and physiological health.

The dog is good for children's health
Israeli scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Gertner Epidemiological Institute and the Tel Hashomer Medical Center conducted joint research and proved that having a dog in the family helps to maintain normal blood pressure in children. Scientists came to such conclusions after examining 230 children - students of Shoham primary schools.

The study consisted of two stages. At the first stage, the child's parents had to answer the question: "Is there a dog in the house?" If the answer was yes, the parents determined as accurately as possible how actively the child takes part in caring for the dog. Whether he walks her, feeds her and how often plays with her.
At the second stage of the study, the height and weight of the children were taken and their blood pressure was measured in different situations: when the children were calm, when they had to complete a task that required mental or physical activity.
With the help of the obtained data, scientists stated that children who did not have a dog at home suffered from high blood pressure. It overlapped the norm by an average of 4.5 mm Hg. Whereas in the young owners, the pressure was normal.
One of the causes of high blood pressure is a passive lifestyle. Children who have dogs in their families spend more time outdoors, move more, play and walk with their pets. Thus, not only their blood pressure remains normal. They are physically stronger, more trained, less likely to gain excess weight than their peers who spend their free time at computers and TVs.
Owners of dogs suffering from an increase in blood pressure are well aware that it is worth stroking their pet with love and affection for several minutes, how the headache disappears and pressure indicators decrease. It's not a miracle at all. The fact is that on the surface of human palms there are tactile receptors that transmit perceived signals to certain nerve centers of the brain, where this information is processed. And if these signals contain “pleasant sensations” (as in the case of stroking a beloved dog), then as a result, irritability and fatigue decrease, and as a result, pressure returns to normal.

Let's take a closer look at the reasons for such wonderful results!
Many of you, for sure, are familiar with the following picture: having completed a hard working day, having experienced the troubles of an early morning rise, the bad mood of your superiors, having heard enough negative news, having stood in traffic jams for many hours, you finally arrived home. It would seem that your dreams concern only a hot dinner and a cozy sofa where you can spend the rest of the day, reliving and remembering the current troubles again... And what do we see? Having opened the door, you, tired and sad, are trying to dodge the kisses of your beloved four-legged friend. Gradually, the gloomy expression is replaced by a wide smile. There was an instant switch of mood and psychological state to a positive perception of the surrounding world.
Here it is - a stream of positive emotions! Another 10-15 minutes pass, and you no longer remember the hard working day and the troubles that bothered you so much. All these wonderful metamorphoses are the merit of a nice devoted friend! Or rather, his behavior, looks, touches and the general joy that he inevitably conveys to you. The dog constantly supplies you with a lot of positive energy, and this fact inevitably affects both your mood and your health. Friends! Our pets give back to us in full all the love we give them. They are able to understand us perfectly, to share joys and failures with us. And although this area of ​​zoopsychology and zootherapy is not yet fully understood today, we should not forget about the abilities of our pets to make us happy!