It’s hard not to be grateful for our dogs, with their waggly tails and their excitement for almost anything. Our dogs do so many things that steal our hearts. Sometimes it’s their ability to sense when you’re down, and when you just need a cuddle.
We found this really lovely research study that interviewed a lot of people and recorded their experiences with their dogs during Covid-19. These five points below are what we learned from the study1 – isn’t it amazing that these points are actually what is seen in research? We hope we can share some gratitude vibes with you in this post!
- Dogs seem to sense when we’re stressed.
Does your dog just know when to sit near you, to offer you some company and cuddles during a stressful time? Sometimes our dog Ollie sits on our feet and quietly lets us pat him! Remember that ‘free hugs’ dog? They were definitely onto something!
- They make us go outside and take a break
‘Walkies’ is part of our exercise routine, and we’re so glad we can still go out for a walk together during lockdown! It’s such a great time to unplug (except for the occasional photo) and get grounded again.
- They keep us company
That ‘pitter patter’ of paws is such a beautiful sound in the house – sometimes we joke that it sounds like our housemate wearing slippers, getting out of bed for that midnight snack 😊.
- They make us laugh
Sleeping on their back with their derpy face, doing zoomies, or doing every trick in the book before every meal – dogs are FUNNY. There isn’t a day that goes by without Ollie making us laugh! And then we take a photo and share it!
- They don’t judge us, and love us unconditionally
In the best of times, and in the worst of times, our dogs are there. And they’re always so happy to be by our side!
We’re so lucky to have our faithful, furry family members! Our dog has taught us to be grateful for the simple things, and that has added so much joy to our lives. We hope you can give your doggo a big thank you hug (after all, hugs are free!).
Hang in there, frens!
Sources:
1 Bussolari, C.; Currin-McCulloch, J.; Packman, W.; Kogan, L.; Erdman, P. “I Couldn’t Have Asked for a Better Quarantine Partner!”: Experiences with Companion Dogs during Covid-19. Animals 2021, 11, 330. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020330 . Accessed May 2021 at https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/330
Leaf and Leash blog posts are the opinion of the author only.