The Magic Bond: How Dogs Enhance Our Mental Well-being
Canine companions spark similar neural pathways to the parent-baby bond, alleviating feelings of loneliness and depression. Recent trials on pet therapy are yielding remarkable results.
What is it about animals? As the ongoing news about the coronavirus persists, the plea “send me dogs and cats” has become a common refrain on social media, serving as a succinct request for emotional solace. The response is invariably a flood of images depicting animals engaging in playful antics – yet somehow, it exerts a magical, soothing influence.
Researchers are increasingly recognizing the therapeutic significance of our bond with pets, especially dogs. While cats are also cherished companions, dogs have been intertwined with human life for millennia, and, as even fervent cat enthusiasts would concede, they are far more amenable to training for companionship. Most cat aficionados acknowledge that felines offer their own unique brand of companionship. Marion Janner, a mental health advocate and avid animal enthusiast, notes that dogs impart a spectrum of life lessons. “Dogs love us unconditionally. They epitomize equal opportunities – completely indifferent to race, gender, star sign, CV, clothes size, or dance floor prowess. The purity and profundity of this love are a constant source of joy, alongside the health benefits of daily walks and the social camaraderie of interactions with fellow dog walkers. They instill in children a sense of responsibility, altruism, and compassion, and, regrettably but importantly, how to navigate the grieving process.”
Robert Doward* experienced this peculiar effect when his health suddenly took a downturn. “I had been pushing myself incredibly hard, logging long hours day after day. One day, I found myself in tears, unable to articulate my thoughts properly. I had been pushing myself to the limit for far too long, and I simply couldn’t carry on.”
It took considerable time to regain his equilibrium: along with therapy, a new job, and adjustments to his family life. However, he half-jokingly credits a petite Greek rescue dog named Maria as the key factor. “Taking her out for walks, breathing in the fresh air, simply putting one foot in front of the other – it lifted my spirits. And there’s nothing quite like having a dog nestled by your side, even in the depths of despair. She would gaze at me with concern, as if sensing something was amiss. And that would make me smile – somehow, it made everything feel better. There’s just something enchanting about dogs. Truthfully, she pulled me through.”
But what is the mechanism behind these therapeutic effects? One significant aspect appears to be social recognition – the process of acknowledging another being as someone of significance and importance to oneself. The bond that develops between an owner and their pet mirrors, it seems, the bond between a mother and her child.
The importance of social recognition is increasingly acknowledged for its role in forging connections. Healthy social bonds are now understood to be vital for mental well-being; in their absence, feelings of loneliness, depression, and physical ailment may ensue. And pets, it appears, can fulfill that role. Academic and psychologist June McNicholas underscores that pets can serve as a lifeline for socially isolated individuals.
“Pet care and self-care are intertwined. When you take a dog for a walk, people engage with you, perhaps the only social interaction an isolated person experiences all day. If you have a cat, you can strike up a conversation while perusing the cat food aisle at the supermarket, debating which brand to choose. Pet owners, when venturing out to purchase pet supplies, are more inclined to procure food for themselves as well, and when they feed their pet, they tend to sit down and eat too. Individuals with disabilities often encounter social awkwardness from able-bodied individuals; however, having a dog can break down barriers, fostering a more comfortable and natural interaction.”
Social recognition is a trait shared by humans and a few other mammals, including sheep and prairie voles. We are predisposed to care for those with whom we have formed social bonds; we don’t indiscriminately breastfeed any infant, nor do we bring home random dogs from the park. Author and researcher Meg Daley Olmert elucidates, “When we refer to our dog as ‘our baby,’ it is because we recognize it on a neural level as such. And this recognition triggers the same maternal bonding brain networks that enable a mother to gaze at her newborn and assert, ‘mine!'”
A small-scale study employing functional MRI brain scans of 18 women revealed similar neural responses in regions associated with reward, emotion, and affiliation when viewing images of their child and pet dog. However, there were notable distinctions; dogs elicited activity in the fusiform gyrus (linked to facial recognition), while babies spurred activity in the tegmentum (centers of reward and affiliation). We may adore our pets, but in the face of danger, our instinct is to safeguard the infant.
Despite advancements in understanding social recognition and its neural substrates, the
