A couple of weeks ago there was a story in the Times about True Love, "But who will comfort us without asking for anything in return? A mother, maybe. But a dog, for sure." I had to chuckle a bit because I know Balt asks for a lot in return. Today is Balt's golden birthday. He is 5 years old. I can't believe we've had him that long. I can't remember not having him... sometimes. He's needy of love and attention but he gives both generously. The truth be told, I would not have survived the last year and a half without him by my side. He's kissed the tears off my checks and leaned in close so many nights to make sure I know he is close. I have never had to sit alone to weep because he is always close at hand to make sure I am not alone.
His yelps of hunger every morning drive me crazy, but I can relate. We both need to loose a few pounds and I've cut his dog food down to 3 cups a day-- he'd prefer 4. He's always eager for the day to begin and loves when I finally get out of bed. It certainly makes getting up in the morning a lot more exciting. He greets me so eagerly when I come that I can't help but be happy to be home. When he wants something, he's not afraid to let me know. He'll bark to ask to get out for a walk in the morning if I'm taking too long. He'll bark to ask for a bone when he's bored at night. He'll bark to let me know someone is walking around outside and he wants to look out the window. All I can say is that's it's nice to have someone around talking to me.
I got Balt for Jessi knowing he would ease the transition of my empty nest and boy, am I ever glad I had the foresight to do that. I had read that dogs offered a lot of benefits in life, but now that I'm living it, I get it. It's kind of surprising how much a dog can do for a person. Here's a list I've gathered: Having a dog around actually lowers one's cholesterol, how? I have no idea! I wonder if two dogs will lower it twice as much? The presence of a dog during testing will lower one's heart rate and blood pressure. People who have dogs typically have better health due to the fact they have exercise and care for their dog. If I ever have a heart attack, my odds for survival go way up just because I have a dog. Dogs help people adjust to serious illness and death. It was kind of surprising for me how having to deal with Balt's cancer scare kind of helped me deal with my mom's cancer diagnosis. This may sound strange but while I was feeling overwhelmed with what felt like a death sentence for my mom, being forced to come back home and take care of Balt helped me bring a bit of balance in my life. Bad stuff happens to us, to our mothers and to our dogs, but it's just part of life.
Dog owners feel less of afraid of being the victim of a crime when walking with their dog or being home alone with their dog. I know that I feel a lot safer with Balt around even though I have a feeling if anyone actually broke into my home to rob me, Balt would probable welcome him and show him where the dog bones are kept. I don't have anything more valuable than that anyway. Dogs help people relax and focus their attention away from problems or worries. The fact that a dog is around offering physical contact is really important. More and more we are finding how much touch is important to physical and emotional health. Having a dog helps lift our mood and feel less lonely by proving companionship for people of all ages-- not just 50 year old women who live alone. A dog helps people feel needed and have something to care for. I have heard that having a dog is a lot like having a 3 year old in the house. The fact that you can leave a dog home alone while you go to work means its a ton easier than a 3 year old. A dog offers consistency in our lives. They offer a sense of closeness and well-being, not just for individuals but for whole families. Dogs offer a great topic of conversation with people we don't know. I don't know how many times I have chatted with fellow dog walkers who were complete strangers since getting Balt. Dogs have an extraordinary affect on so many different aspects of the human condition. They are non-judgmental and offer love and trust whether we deserve it or not. Apart from all these psychological and physical benefits I've listed, having a dog seems to make life richer and fuller.
That doesn't mean there's no down side to having a dog. It's just that the benefits outweigh the downs. Being woken up early in the morning means not having to worry about my alarm. I still set one, just in case the day comes that Balt decides to sleep in. It's happened, but it's rare. Traveling is kind of tricky with a dog. It means having to drive instead of fly and having to find a hotel that accepts dogs, but it also means not stopping to go shopping or out to eat for very long which is a huge money saver. Leaving your dog at home while you travel means having to pay someone to take care of him, and I'd have to say that's probably one of the biggest downsides. That just means I try to take Balt with me most everywhere I go whenever I can and he LOVES to come with me, no matter where I'm going. Balt just wants to be around me and I'd say that's true love.
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