Tuesday 20th February is ‘Love Your Pet Day’, so a great excuse to love your pet even more! Of course most pet owners are giving the love every day but at Yellow Dog charity we do have another message about pet love too and that is that not every dog loves an unexpected cuddle !
Love is about respect, that counts for all of us and is also so important for our dogs. We need to understand their boundaries and respect that all dogs have different characteristics, some are shy, some reactive, some are timid, some may be post operative, there are of course so many different reasons as to why we need to think about our dogs and not just assume they are all the same.
However, that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with these awareness days and show our love for all our pets. This is what makes us kind humans, with the majority of people owning a pet of some sort it makes sense that we celebrate these days with this common love. Pets have been part of our lives for centuries, cared for, comforted by and lived side by side with, their love is an important part of so many peoples lives.
There’s no denying that dogs can have a huge impact on our mental health, helping with loneliness and depression.
The therapeutic benefits of taking a dog out for exercise, playing with them and the overall care of our pets lends an alternative focus to our lives, that for many can be hugely beneficial part of their lives. Children are taught compassion and care through the love shown by their elders to pets and this in turn can affect their overall characters and attitudes towards so many events in their lives.
The Kennel Club regularly highlight the huge difference a dog can have on our lives and said, ‘According to a survey by Blue Cross, 58% of respondents who suffer with a mental health problem stated that love and loyalty was the most beneficial aspect for their mental health of owning a pet’.
So let’s celebrate ‘Love Your Pet Day’ this year with happiness and appreciation for our little friends.