Dogs and their Positive Impact in Mental Health

Dogs and their positive effects in the overall mental well being of people has long been looked into by researchers, with studies indicating how valuable human and canine relationships can be.

Though not exactly focused on the effects of a dog-master relationship, the 1997 blockbuster hit As Good As It Gets, starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear, did touch up over how beneficial dogs can be as companions, depicting the effects a toy dog had in soothing the curmudgeon character of Melvin Udall played by Nicholson.

Bair Justice, PhD, author of Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods and Thoughts Affect Your Health, had once looked into the link between “stressful chemicals” norepinephrine, Cortisol and plaque buildup in arteries, and establishes the positive effect of dopamine and serotonin in keeping “stressful chemicals” in check.

People take drugs like heroin and cocaine to raise serotonin and dopamine, but the healthy way to do it is to pet your dog, or hug your spouse, watch sunsets, or get around something beautiful in nature,” shares Justice, who happens to be a dog owner himself.

A study which involved the blood pressures of stockbrokers – a stressful field in its own – reveals that study participants who had adopted a dog or cat had lower blood pressure readings when compared against those who didn’t.

Also, a number of research touching up on the impact of having dogs in households for people afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease note that those suffering from the condition are liable to encounter fewer anxiety attacks, which is a huge positive in itself.

Studies also note that children who had grown up with household pets tend to be more responsible and more tuned for social situations, well balanced and healthy in their societal outlooks and bearing.

Bottom line, though no in-your-face conclusive facts and figures are set in stone, the positive impact of dogs in the mental well being of persons is one upside in having man’s best friend around.

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Parrots

Parrots and the realities of urban life were the focus of the 2003 feature The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, a movie which told the tale of how a frustrated homeless musician managed to forge solid relationships with a number of wild parrots.

Based on a true story, the movie tells an inspiring story, one which touches up on how important companionship and reaching out can be, as well as delves into the particulars and peculiarities known to revolve around parrots.

The Avian Welfare Resource Center, a part of the Avian Welfare Coalition, has long asserted that parrots are not domestic animals, not like how cats or dogs are as domestic animals.

Though found in countless homes in different parts of the world, not all parrots are the same with others, with some not even capable of “talking”. Screeching or screaming, however, is something every parrot can do. Also, not all parrots are trainable, with most trained parrots owing their training aptitudes to the skills of trainers and experts.

However, parrots are naturally curious and active, which contributes to their attributed flair as sociable birds.

Many have taken in parrots as pets in the hopes of having an exotic pet that says funny things and does amusing tricks. As many expect these to come from parrots, many have also ended up being frustrated when “parrot realities” come up, with their pets being difficult to manage, biting, screeching and generally making a mess.

As such, it has to be said that parrots, as they were featured in The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, remain to be wild animals which thrive in their independence as creatures of Mother Earth.

Serious thought is then in order if you’re mulling about keeping parrots as pets.

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Rough Collie

Lassie is one of the most famous dogs in Hollywood. This lovable dog is the creation of Eric Knight back in 1940s, first mentioned in the novel Lassie comes home. MGM then turned the novel into a movie, staring a Rough Collie named Pal. Pal appeared as lassie in 6 other films featuring the Lassie story line. The Lassie series basically revolved around the adventures the dog  and her owners faced.  Rudd Weatherwax, Pal’s trainer and owner, obtained the Lassie trademark and name from MGM. He appeared alongside Pal, as "Lassie", during events like fairs and rodeos across America during the1950s.

The Lassie television series debuted in 1954 and over 19 years, Pal and his descendants appeared and played the loveable dog character. Besides the television series and movies, Lassie has also appeared in toys, radio shows, juvenile novels, animated series, and even comic books. To this day, Pal’s descendants continue playing Lassie’s character in movies and television.

Rough Collies are wonderful dogs. They are known for their ability to heard sheep, work in farms and protect the territory. These natural sheepdogs have long rough coats that come in many different colors. Despite being long, their fur is easy to take care of, with a bath 3 to 4 times a month enough to keep it clean. They also have a long snout and sharp looking eyes.

As you probably guessed, these dogs are incredibly easy to train, with some owners reporting success after just 2 repetitions of a trick! They are also intelligent, patient and protective, making them great family dogs. Rough Collies are generally healthy and resilient dogs. However, they do have a few genetic illnesses that could develop when they are older. A common illness that strikes these dogs is CEA or Collie Eye Anomaly, an improper eye development which usually ends in blindness.

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Bees

Bees and their link with honey were the essential plot elements of the 2008 animated feature, Bee Movie, the first feature length movie which involved Jerry Seinfeld since the finale of the hit NBC sitcom, Seinfeld.

Telling the story of how a bee managed to sue human beings because of their consumption of honey, Bee Movie had been met with conflicting reviews upon its release, with some critics loathing it as others were just so-so and okay with it.

But critical acclaim and Hollywood box office hit ratings aside, Bee Movie did well in telling the essential roles bees have in the natural balance and ecologic cycle of nature, providing an in depth look at how much impact their making of honey has with the order of things.

Bees kept as “pets”

Many beekeepers don’t really consider bees as “pets”, not in the sense over how one would keep a dog or a cat as a pet.

For one, it is practically impossible to keep one bee as a pet, given that bees are instinctively social insects. This means that if you intend to keep bees, you will have to setup a space where a colony can thrive, with worker bees, a queen bee and everything else a colony requires.

The nice thing about keeping a colony of bees is that you don’t have to “feed” them since they can find and make their own food. In fact, you could even have a share of the honey which bees make, just make sure that you leave enough for the colony to survive.

There’s also the thing about bees and their stings, and it pays to have some working knowledge over the aggression levels of bees, especially when talking about keeping a colony. Keeping bees may appear to be easy, but their upkeep can be challenging, especially when they are kept in urban areas.

All in all, though bees are fascinating creatures to keep as “pets”, they’re not exactly as easy as having a cat or dog around in the house.

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Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs were shown in a different light in the 2009 hit G-Force, the CGI-Animated feature by Disney which told the tale of how an elite-force of guinea pigs managed to stop the diabolical plans of an evil mastermind in ruling the world.

Featuring the voice talents of Will Arnett, Penélope Cruz and Zach Galifianakis, the movie did well in inspiring a younger generation of guinea pig fans, with countless children gunning for pet guinea pigs after seeing the movie.

Also known as “cavy”, guinea pigs are part of the rodent family, with a place in the Cavia genus of mammals. Though “Guinea” and “pigs” are the words which form its more common name, guinea pigs are not from Guinea, but are known to hail from the Andes, and are in no way related to pigs.

As pets, their history began in the 16th Century, when European traders brought them to port as cute and cuddly pets, with docile natures and non-volatile tempers. By the 17th Century, a number of tests and studies utilized guinea pigs as subjects, thus the connotation of “test subjects” with the term “guinea pigs”.

Modern trends, however, have changed the norm when talking about them as test subjects, with mice now often used as models in testing cures for various human diseases and conditions.

As pets, guinea pigs are not all that fickle to have, with grass being its natural dietary staple. With molars primarily designed for grinding, guinea pigs are also known to have a penchant for hay, along with the consumption of various grasses.

However, a number of vegetables (like wild celery and bulb-type plants like onions) are considered to be poisonous for guinea pigs, and feeding them with these are highly not advisable.

Considered to be the ideal “start up pet” for kids, guinea pigs can grow up to 8 to 10 inches in length, weighing somewhere between 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. Their lifespans are at an average between four to five years, though there are guinea pigs known to have lived longer.

As pets they make for great companions, docile and non-violent in their overall keeping in homes and households. If you feel your home could do with a simple pet to maintain, a pet guinea pig stands to be one good option.

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