Qualities That Enable Pets To Offer Comfort And Solace
Modern medical science has studied and given credit to a special group of dogs known as doctor dogs. The job of doctor dogs is simply to visit hospitals and comfort the ill, both young and old in a way that only these canines can. Nobody really can explain how and why the dogs manage to display these comforting abilities. Maybe it is because of the way dogs, who are descendants of wolves became domesticated and somehow adapted the human ways. But whatever the reason, dogs do have a proven therapeutic and uncanny way of comforting their owners when necessary. The question is what causes it? Is it an inborn trait or a product of the way their human owners treat them?
If one will take the time to observe a dog in his usual habitat, that of being with his human “pack”, he will notice that dogs are often treated by their owners as human beings and the dogs respond to the treatment in either a positive or negative way. Usually depending upon what treatment the dog is receiving at the time, the dog will either be violent and assertive or calm and collected. Now dogs, who are highly observant creatures, tend to remember the treatment they receive and go through an almost similar to human facet of emotions ranging from disappointment, anger, sadness, love, and happiness and manifest these emotions in a clear way that is understandable to the human owners.
Since dogs tend to mimic the treatment they receive from humans, the animals seem to have a keen understanding of human emotions. But because these animals are unable to express themselves the way a man would, dogs tend to have a very special way of helping humans get in touch with emotions. Even as the creature can sense the anxiety of the human, the dog will offer silent support, care, love, and understanding. Maybe it is because of this direct interaction with humans that allow dogs to understand the basic human emotions and needs which led the animal to develop a way to comfort their human companions. This way the dogs manage to offer the canine version of friendship and family support to the family member who needs it the most.
To illustrate the points being made in this essay, the story of Yanni the dog must be told. Yanni was a family dog who loved his humans so much that he seemed to be able to speak to them. He was adopted by a family that was going through a difficult time and needed the distraction that owning a puppy (at that time) provided. Yanni grew up in this household which, although filled with love by his female masters, was also over taken by hatred when the male master was home. The family believed that he could speak to them through his eyes. Yanni was a friend to the children and a confidant to the mother. Such was the healing effect of Yanni upon his human owners that when the mother decided to leave the father of the children, she took the children and the dog with them.
One time, the abusive husband came to visit his children and everybody present observed that Yanni displayed signs of anxiety and distress in his presence. He was constantly growling and eyeing the man in a manner that showed the dogs distrust of the man. This proves Yanni also experienced the same anxiety that family did in the situation they had just escaped from. The dog was relieved and yet protective of his humans, afraid yet ready to defend the human pack from the bad man who could come back and hurt them once again.
During the times when the mother felt herself alone and without a shoulder to cry on, the dog would often come to her and lie beside. The dog brought a calming peacefulness to the woman. His silent visits provided her with the strength and determination she needed to carry on. Eventually, Yanni passed on but left the family with happy memories of his silent and unwavering love and support during the times when any of them felt alone and without an ally in the world.
In Yanni, one can see the reasons why a doctor dog can accomplish things that psychologists would take years of therapy to accomplish with their human patients. Maybe it is because dogs have been known to empathize with their masters. Maybe it is because dogs do not know how to lecture humans. Maybe it is because they are creatures born to care for the humans who care for them. Whatever it is, dogs have been proven to be a breed apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. They are animals that have been proven to grow and mature with their humans. Scientific study believes that they have managed to gauge a dog’s comprehensive skills to be that of a 5-6 year old child. Therefore, dogs do understand what is happening around them. They also have the ability to tell right from wrong. That is why they are fiercely loyal and protective creatures when it comes to their masters / human pack.
These are the reasons why the comforting presence of dogs and their unspoken love and care for their humans are qualities that enable them to offer humans comfort and a shoulder to cry on when they need it the most.