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fulfillment they experience in spending time with their pets.
Petting an animal has been shown to reduce blood pressure and
boost immune response – factors that have led to dogs being
used therapeutically in hospitals and nursing homes. In fact,
patients who have been unable to communicate with other people
often form strong, positive, emotional bonds with animals. Dogs
provide comfort, put us in touch with our playful selves,
distract us from pressure and stress, and clearly like to be
part of our lives. All in all, dogs add wonderfully to our
quality of life: the pleasure of having a dog far outweighs the
costs! It’s important when getting a dog, to make room for him not only in terms of physical space, but in considering his needs, quality of life, and happiness. It’s not enough to provide food, water and a place to sleep: you have to make time to spend with your dog in the way you would allot time to any important human relationship. Some people get pets because they aren’t ready to start a family, but when you have a dog, you effectively have a family!
Except for the small percentage of the workforce employed at home, people with jobs and dogs walk a tightrope between meeting the demands of their employment and the needs of their dogs. Jobs usually require at least eight consecutive hours a day plus commute time, and for many people, those hours are a bare minimum. Dogs, being social animals dependent on people for more than just food and water, require attention, exercise, toys and play, training, affection and time. Some people might decide that they can’t devote the energy needed to keep a dog happy and healthy, but there are ways to have both a loving and loyal pet and a demanding job. This book was designed to help you meet the time requirements of your job and the needs of your dog without causing you undue stress or expense.
Some people mistakenly believe that dogs are like people and can manage to amuse and take care of themselves for ten or twelve hours each day while their humans are at work. Some older dogs might be content to be left alone for so long, if they are at the later stage of life where they pretty much just want to lie around and sleep. In fact, most dogs are more sociable than that: they are more like children in their needs for companionship and amusement. Puppies in particular will suffer greatly if left alone so long, becoming destructive and even self-destructive if their needs for attention aren’t being met. We will devote an entire chapter to puppies later in this book.
Dogs who live on farms and have a primarily outdoor lifestyle with plenty of space will meet their own needs by roaming their territory, digging holes, chasing squirrels and guarding the house. Humans with farm dogs will be more concerned with making sure dogs don’t harass or kill other animals or get sick or hurt by contact with farm chemicals or equipment. Farms usually have some people to interact with, so dogs also have training and companionship as well. This book is concerned with the majority of dogs who live in towns or cities, and whose access to companionship is restricted to their people’s off time from work away from the home.
Whether you are home or away, all dogs need four things to meet their most basic needs: water, food, a sheltered place to lie down, and something to keep them occupied. If your dog stays in the house while you are gone, you will also need to assure his safety and the safety of your home.
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