A Special Relationship

The Test of Time

It seems that human history has never known a time when dogs were not a part of life, either as workmates, playmates, or companions. In fact, our pets are such natural adjuncts to our lives that we often take them for granted. A quick glance through any family photograph album will reveal a Boston terrier, a German shepherd, or an indefinable random-bred gazing contentedly back at the camera. Titian, the famous Venetian painter and contemporary of Michelangelo, often included the family lapdog in his sumptuous portraits of Italian nobility. Homer tells us that Odysseus had a dog that waited twenty years for his master's return. An understanding such as this between people and dogs cannot persist for centuries if it is not worthwhile for both parties. But through all the changes and upheavals of history, the intimate link between man and dog has persisted.

The Medical Benefits of Friendship

Medical studies have demonstrated that pets, and dogs in particular, help us keep our blood pressure down and our heart rate steady. In fact, it seems almost certain that those people who have pets are likely to live longer than those who do not. People who keep pets are less likely to become ill, and those who do get ill seem to have a shorter recovery period. The many such cases on record and the many studies now under way in leading universities and hospitals confirm these findings again and again. In recent years, homes for geriatric residents have even begun to include regular visits by volunteers with pets.

Something for Everyone

It is not just those who are old or ill that benefit from the companionship of an uncritical and relentlessly affectionate friend. We all need to be listened to without interruption, which is something our human friends may not be able to do for us. A dog is always more than happy to provide a sympathetic ear.

The bottom line is that dogs are wonderful. They make us feel good. So for that reason, perhaps more than any other, dogs have been around longer than the Pyramids, longer than any religion, longer than cloth, metal tools, marriage, or art. There is no doubt that dogs will be with us when we colonize other planets. People and dogs were meant for each other, and there is no argument known that can suggest otherwise.