For Lily Wilson, a sophomore at Watauga, as well as many others, the pandemic has felt endless and stressful. But for Wilson, walking her dog and spending time with him has been helpful in a remarkable way.
“Dogs are really friendly, so you don’t get as lonely with one around. They’re usually so happy and get really excited when you pet them,” Wilson says. Walking her dog has helped Wilson stay active. She continues, “By walking him, it was a lot easier to get outside...it keeps you active.”
Some of the biggest issues surrounding the coronavirus pandemic are social isolation and mental health. These issues are often overlooked.
According to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly half of Americans said that the pandemic has negatively affected their mental health. The number of calls to emergency hotlines for people in emotional distress has increased drastically in the past year as well. People are experiencing frightening increases in anxiety and depression linked to social isolation as a result of the pandemic. Humans are sociable beings, and they rely on the interactions they have with each other. When these interactions are stripped away it can cause people to feel empty and depressed.
Many people have turned to their pets to provide a sense of companionship and even happiness, myself included. Recent studies by Mental Health America have found that pets help their owners deal with stress and help them manage feelings associated with mental illnesses. Pet owners also experience increases in self-esteem. I got a puppy right before the quarantine and I can say that my dog has helped me significantly throughout these tumultuous times.
My dog’s name is Mochi. She is a very small dog, weighing in at barely 11 pounds and she is a ball of furry energy. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months during the quarantine period I started to look forward to waking up to Mochi jumping on my bed more and more.
Every morning she did the same thing: she would jump on my bed and lick my face until I would wake up, and then she would start pawing at me to play. Mochi gave me a source of entertainment during dark times and a sense of consistency.
The chores associated with taking care of a dog also provided me with a daily routine that definitely contributed to keeping me healthy and energetic during the quarantine. Before getting a dog I never understood the saying “a dog is man’s best friend,” but after getting a dog I finally understand the truth of the saying. My dog is truly like a companion to me and she distracted me from the looming fears of rising COVID cases, the lack of socialization, and apprehension about the future.
When asked how his dogs provide a sense of consistency or security Micah Rushin, a junior at Watauga, says, “My dogs are there when I need them to be there. The best way to describe it is when they are not there and you get home it just feels empty.”
Dogs are very supportive and they allow people to have something that they can rely on. Dogs will stay loyal and love their owners unconditionally. People can be confusing and sometimes unreliable so having a dog provides that reliable source for people to find support and affection.
My own experiences with owning a dog have taught me that there is nothing like coming home to a dog happy to see you. No matter how bad your day was, how bad life was treating you, or how frustrated you are, your dog is always there for you. Like Rushin said, without your dog at home, home just doesn’t feel quite like home.
I also asked Noah Jamison, a 10th grader at Watauga, about his relationship with his dog, and he stated, “I interact with my dog every day. My dog is my companion and my dog helps me lower stress.” Having a pet is shown to lower stress in people considerably.
Participating in pet-related activities such as rubbing and petting your dog, walking your dog, and playing with your dog is proven to have very calming effects on their owners. Petting your dog can even lower high blood pressure. Whenever I am having a rough day I go home and sit with my dog and pet her a while which usually makes me feel a lot better.
Dogs also help people get a lot of exercise. Walking your dog gets you active and out of the house. During the quarantine, when getting out of the house is a rare occasion, going on walks with your dog both gets you to exercise and gives you a chance to enjoy nature and escape from the confinements of being cramped up in the house.
In conclusion, dogs are great resources to alleviate stress during these hard times and they bring numerous mental and physical health benefits. If you already have a dog I recommend you take some time to appreciate how much they help you. These are difficult times and dogs can really make a difference for people so spend time with them, love them, and maybe even give them an extra treat today.
Written by: Nathan Bishop
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