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| Royalty Free Image of Human Walking Dogs |
I have a theory that people who own dogs end up going for walks with their dog & this causes otherwise sedentary people to move more which can improve health of the dog owner & dog!
Increase in activity levels from dog ownership may be reducing risks of clotting, embolism or stroke by improve blood flow to brain & body of dog owners that regularly take their dog's for walk. Meg & I live in large apartment complex where we regularly see other people outside walking dogs when we are outside walking or taking Mocha for a walk.
Dog Walks Encourage Activity Increases
Companies that sell fitness trackers like Fitbit suggest that 11,000 steps per day a health activity level for most people. I don't have any actual data about movement levels vs dog ownership, only a casual theory based on how Mocha's encourages me to go for a walk in the morning before work & to get me away from my computer where I write these articles for 10-40 minutes of walking at stop & go rate so she can stop & sniff things. I wake up early & do online research & writing until I hear Mocha's collar ringing due to the metal tags hanging from its. This causes me to get up & take her for a walk. I started thinking about this relationship & it inspired this blog entry.
Dog Brains
Dog's have cognitive similarities to a 1 year old human. A dog's sense of smell millions of time more sensitive than a humans nose & dog's love to sniff for other dogs by smelling where other dog's have urinated on plants or soil or grass or dirt etc. A dog thinks in smells primarily & can identify people by their smell differences. The dog's brain also has to coordinate all of its movements & the brain of animals dedicates a lot of its resources too movement control & balance maintenance.
Age old saying that "A Dog is Man's Best friend" based on the demonstrably loving & loyal way that a dog treats its owner with affection. Pet ownership extremely popular because it adds love to a persons life in a way that is unique to pet ownership. This love can extend to the physical benefits of going for a walk with your dog & this can boost your mental performance & moral, reducing depression, stress & anxiety levels.
Dog's sleep a lot more than people & have up to 7 days in 1 human day. Their circadian rhythm very different for several reasons & beyond the scope of my understanding, but may energy because they do not have to work or hold down a job or pay bills or take care of anyone else per se. The dog has few responsibilities & can enjoy a lower stress life if the dog' owner trains the dog & does a good job taking care of the dog.
Dog Ownership Responsibilities
Some people are completely unfit to own a dog. Not everyone fit to own pets. You have to care for the dog & feed & give the dog water & clean its water bowl & take it for a walk so it can relieve itself. I use a leash with Mocha & carry plastic bags to collect her poop so later put it in the trash, a requirement where we live.
A dog may have a medical problem that requires visiting a pet doctor or veterinarian & probably will either shed hairs that require cleanup or require grooming. You have to cut or have someone else cut the dogs toenails too! Some dogs have to have their anal glands expressed.
You should research dog breeds & find a dog species thats a good fit for your lifestyle, space, budget & other life dynamics. Dog's can live 10-20 years so make sure you have a stable life & ability to provide for the dog. Its the same with people who are unfit to have children, not everyone fit to become a parent!
Animal Abuse Wrong
Sadly some dogs are abused by mean spirited people who kick & strike the dog with anger & malice. Some people also abuse their human children & spouses & friends & family. Some people are bad & thats why we have to have police & law & order. Some people are psychotic & mental sick who hurt other people with unconscionable greed & avarice & selfish glib arrogance & narcissism & think they are better than other people & that other people are less than them. This kind of mental illness causes harm in the world & the lack of mental health services in America disturbing & part of whats causing social division.
Neglecting a dog by leaving it alone for long periods of times also a form of abuse because the Dog wants to be with its alpha leader or other people it knows & loves. Some people bring their dogs to work with them in an office for this exact reason. I know that many lonely single people get a dog because they want more love in their life & the Dog a loyal loving animals, but Dog's are not normally a good fit for single person households unless the person able to work from home or retired & able to spend time with the dog.
Train Your Dog
Dogs are pack animals & the person that spends the most time with the dog from the time its a puppy to adulthood will imprint the Dog such that the dog will recognize that person as the pack leader or alpha! I was living with Mocha when she was a puppy so small she fit in the palm of my hand! She was the cutest little puppy & I had a lot of fun playing with her for years. Now she is 12 years old & sick with several medical conditions that have been difficult to effectively treat even with the help of a very high quality Veterinarian named Dr. Smith.
Can CBD Help Sick Dogs?
We recently started giving Mocha the Shi-Tzu animal CBD to help reduce her autoimmune disorder that causes her skin problems similar to psoriasis in humans. 0.5ml of CBD fluid 2x daily, morning & evening & this seems to markedly reduce swelling & inflammation & skin shedding issues she was long suffering from, improving Mocha's quality of life. She can walk farther now & has more pep & energy & seems more healthy or energetic like she was when she was much younger.
Meg had a theory that Mocha would benefit from CBD since our kitty Sweet Pea seems to be doing better now with small daily doses of the same animal CBD medicine. We started giving Mocha the CBD about a week ago & have observed a remarkable positive change in her energy levels & healing of her skin wounds & she can jump up stairs more easily & walk further now amazingly.
Who Training Who?
Are the dog's walking their owners or are the owners taking their dogs for a walk ? I often feel like our kitty sweet pea has been training us not the other way around. This will part of another posting about cat ownership! Thanks for reading! Enjoy you dog walks more knowing they are probably helping to improve your health & wellness & the health & wellness of your dog!
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