Study Finds Hounds Heal Hearts

when I am sick my dog stands at the side of my bed. She won't sit down or lie down. She keeps her head on the bed. I am certain she is giving me healing energy.

I call my hound my magickal healing dog. Just a couple pats on her old head and we both feel better.

committing suicide when their cats stood on their chest and stared them down. I had a cat who kept paying special attention to my hip for a year before the doctors gave up on the theory that my crippling pain was coming from my back and checked out my hip. The socket was totally blown and I needed a total hip replacement. I have also seem dogs play a key role in healing and health maintaince. They are both four pawed angels.

i think a 135-pound dog would GIVE my father a heart attack!

he has enough problems with our 50-pound basset!

that there is more than one way to thinkabout/solve any problem. And since all dogs and cats have different "personalities", and I have 3 cats and 1 dog, I get lots of different "opinions". One or more is bond to help.

cat people weren't just some aberration. I knew they belonged in this world just like the rest of us. Now, I'm not a cat person--I'm a confirmed dog guy, card-carrying, in fact. However, I know alot of cat people, in fact some of them are my best friends. I think it's high-time they come out of their kennels and enjoy the sun, literal and otherwise, just like everyone else. We should not discriminate against cat people. It's just wrong.

That said, I think that cats would probably work best for cat people and dogs for dog people. And we know there are those who identify their petual orientation as bi-species. Man, it just boggles the mind. Anyway, I believe it's the connection with the other species that brings the beneficial effects.

On edit: Here's where I get my beneficial effects. Her name is Layla.

:rofl:

she's a cutie. I used to have a black cocker who lived to be almost 16. He was a piece of work to say the least, but when he was gone there was such a void in my house.

I now have a two-year old companion again and she is the love of my life.

Yes, dogs are truly the best companions you can have. They heal you mentally and physically.

Just finished reading "Marley and Me". All dog people should read it. It's a tear jerker.

smudges and smidges of all the colors, though primarily black and white. We've been told many times by groomers, vets, etc. that she is one of the most even-tempered cockers they've ever met. She's VERY intelligent. She does not know she's a dog. She is also obsessive/compulsive, but's that's a host of other stories. She is our dog/child.

It is a tear jerker, but as a dog owner I also found it to be one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. It only gets sad once Marley gets old, just like it gets sad for all of us when our pets near the ends of their lives.

In any event, a great book! Highly recommended.

I am a dog and cat person. I also am a ferret and bird and snake person, and a lizard and turtle person. But above all, I love dogs and cats and ferrets.

I have 3 precious cats but all the dogs in the neighborhood think I am their special friend, because I play with them every day and bring them toys to fetch and chew.

So am I a dog person or a cat person?

Or am I just transpetual??

BTW, if you like cute, funny, true animal stories, visit my Pet Tales website at http://www.pettales.homestead.com/index.html

that the rest of us just dream about! <WINK>

and for that matter, gerbil people. Power to the rodents!

cats, dogs, mini horses-even a rooster-all have been shown to improve healing time (cats in particular for broken bones; in fact, one research group is developing a device to mimic a cat's purr to place on broken bones, because the frequency has been proven to actually cut healing time by nearly half). Interacting with most friendly animals can lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Some hospice and elderly care facilities are now including animal therapy on a daily basis.

I like dogs, but sometimes their in-your-face, slobbery obsequiousness stresses me out a bit (depends on the dog). I'd be interested in comparing my vital signs after a kitty session and after a dog session.

1 year old Shiba Inu puppy in for visits. The cats stayed home.

settings, because it's been found they can help in all sorts of situations.

is what I like to call, "the world's friendliest dog." He absolutely loves people--particularly strangers or people he doesn't see all the time. Otherwise he's a bit stand-offish and occasionally comes up to ask for pets, but he will not stay on the same chair/bed as a person once he's done with his pets.

He'd be a great therapy dog, but he gets so hyper-excited when around people we're thinking that he'll be a much better one in a few years...after he calms down some more.

ours is also "the world's friendliest dog"! People stop us on the street to comment on how beautiful he is or to ask what breed he is. He's young and still pretty hyper but he really loves meeting them.

He is very bright and knows how to get or steal whatever he wants.

And Kits can be sometimes, mostly with US, but he just loves meeting people.

I would love to see a hound by my hospital bedside anytime(in or out of uniform)! Nursing homes have found that canine visits have made many of the residents more social,more alert and even those who don't repond well to other humans seem to warm up to that bundle of fur and those warm brown eyes...too bad they don't make house calls! Rufffffff

By this kind of science, the Bush administration is literally killing the world's people.

I knew it. I said it in the very beginning. And now it turns out to be true.

One therapy dog featured in a TV report ended up so emotionally frazzled that she spent the rest of her life snapping at people. So now handlers give the dogs long breaks away from people; they'll stay by themselves in a room for a few hours just to get away from it all.

poor pups, soaking up that bad vibes. hmmm.

Sorry, this appeared in the Globe and Mail, but the page no longer exists.

Going to the dogs may not be such a bad thing after all, a U.S. researcher has found.

In a study released Wednesday, Saint Louis University professor Dr. William Banks found that lonely seniors responded better when they received visits from dogs alone than when the animals were accompanied by a human.

"It was a strange finding," said Dr. Banks, a professor of geriatrics in the school's department of internal medicine.

"We had thought that the dog acts as a social lubricant and increases the interaction between residents. The residents found a little quiet time with the pooch is a lot nicer than spending time with a dog and other people."

For the study, Dr. Banks looked at 37 nursing-home residents who scored high on a loneliness scale and said they wanted weekly 30-minute visits from a dog.

Half the group received visits from just the animal, while the other half were visited by a dog and another human.

Researchers had expected that the seniors in the second group would respond better, with the animal serving as a means of breaking the ice and opening up communication with the other person.

The findings suggested, however, that the opposite was true.

(snip)

my dad through strokes. they were so tiny two of them could stand on one hand. They sat and lay in his lap for hours and he would almost have to crawl to the bathroom. why? he didn't want to wake them up. the best therapy for a broken heart is taking a very small puppy and putting it inside your shirt. they breathe so softly and they listen to your heart. your dog will bond to you like glue if you do this when they are tiny.

I adopted just one,Maximus( owner was thinking of putting him to sleep), a ten pound miniature and he is a handful at age nine. My perfect, cute, precious, etc., etc. handful;). I call him Max for short.

:hi:

My heart hurts.:cry:

our fur babies and we have them such a short time, comparatively speaking. Blessed be...

I almost couldn't reply to your post, because I was feeling your pain, and couldn't find the words to console you. I am compelled to though. I know you feel like you've lost a child, and that nothing can replace the empty spot in your heart. Mourn your loss, and cry the cleansing tears. Remember your beloved pet, and if you believe in the hereafter as I do, look forward to seeing that fur baby running and leaping to greet you, and kissing your face once more to tell you "Its about time you got home, I've been waiting for you all day"!! I have faith that God will fill that void in your heart, when you are ready. Love and:hug:

Thanks to Raster and Cryingshame, too.

I've been terribly sad. I'll have days when I'm feeling better and then it hits me again. Today's a bad day.

I think I'll go take a nap.

...we lost the canine love of our lives on January 10. You're right - there are good days and bad days. I am starting to get used to my "squirrely girl" being gone, but then something reminds me or I think I hear her at the back door. Auditory hallucinations. anyone? :-(

My thoughts are with you, because I know the grieving isn't fun. It is easing with time, in my experience. I have been following my own advice: take good care of yourself and let yourself cry...you're allowed when you lose such a special friend. IMHO.

My heart still hurts from 8/25/2005, when Sweet Sirius expired. It is tough to get over. I feel for you my friend. I hope you have another animal in the wings, or will consider another addition. My sweet Nick-Nick has kept me somewhat sane!


Sweet Sirius
(7/25/93 - 8/25/05)


Nick-Nick

That is one of the best dog training stories I ever heard!

Sirius loved ivy, and Cheney had a lot of ivy cover. When I realized the potential, I started giving Sirius a liver treat for a turd in Cheney's front yard. Soon, Cheney's place was the "Place de Poop" for sweet Sirius. That got us in trouble with the SS in the hell between the 2002 election and the SCOTUS award. Cheney's SS men hated me and Sirius, but they couldn't do a thing. The ivy was on the city's side of the sidewalk. Plus, I sometimes pretended to pick up the poop. Sirius always growled at the SS. What a great, liberal dog he was!!!


Sweet Sirius at the mountain house in the last week of his wonderful life (I signed a sell-contract on this great house last week). I'll vacate on my birthday, 3/30. Send the White Star to ... Nah.

Mac

settled in to the mountain life.

Sorry for your loss of Sirius. I'm sure I'm not the only long-time DUer who remembers what a fine Democratic dog Sirius was -- and we're teaching the newer members about him now!

73

We bought a 101 year old prairie cottage in Greenville last fall (on the same day we sold the downtown condo). Since Dr. D. has not been up here since August 12, 2005 (and only three other 2005 visits before that), we felt we could not justify it anymore.
However, Dr. D. already has urged me to look for a small farm near G-ville for our retreat. I said, "Later."



The "new" Prairie Cottage in Greenville.

Very beautiful and I can understand why you sold the mountain place. Marriage is supposed to include living together, after all.

But can you put up a radio tower at the Prairie Cottage? Or will you run afoul of neighborhood codes?

I know how hard it is to lose a beloved animal companion...

:hug:

going to the door to let him/her in and then remembering. . . The best cure is a new puppy, if you can manage it. I know at first you think you can never love another dog as much, but every dog brings something different and something special to your life. At least, that's my experience.

:hug:

were devastated when he died. I was so traumatized, I did not even want to think about getting another dog.

Our fourteen year old daughter was inconsolable for several days after we lost Zach (she had never known life without him). However, eventually she asked if we could get another dog, since the house seemed so empty without one.

We got another Golden, an eight week old puppy we named Sophie. I was still not ready to replace my beloved Zach, however, my husband and daughter took to her immediately.

Well, Sophie seemed to sense my aloofness and made a special effort to show me her devotion and adorableness. I am now totally won over, after four years, and Sophie is my wonderful companion and giver of much dog affection.

It was hard to adjust to a new dog, but there are so many dogs out there that need a loving home and they are always so grateful and loving.

Every dog brings their unique personality and affection. Sophie turned out to be the best cure for my grieving. MKJ

but the memory never dies.

Chinchillas help burn victims, and cats, well they do the same as dogs.

now I will confess that when she told me about them, I thought she was hallucinating, since she had previously told me that the other person in her first room had Rhode Island Red hens with her...

The cats (Ben & Jerry) lived on a specific floor, which she was transferred to after a few weeks. I was very surprised the first time that one came sauntering into her room!

...(puppy then, now 13) jumped on the bed and did not move from being pressed against my thigh until I was able to leave the bed and start moving around the house. I guess it was a week that I was layed up, with occassional forays to the bathroom and kitchen table.

All during that time Rudy-miniature schnauzer-stuck to my side like a nicotine patch. I can tell you it was a real comfort to feel that ball of fur pushed up against me, mostly sleeping, but alert enough to be awake if I just moved my toes.

The human-animal connection I think goes deeper than most can believe.

I treat my Pugs like my kids.. Sometimes better... (Well in perspective my Pugs listen better then my kids)... I also saw a report that dogs can be taught to smell out potential diseased tissue in humans and therefore alert their owners to potential cancers etc

:hi:

I've heard about that too. In fact, it seems to me I heard there was one of those dogs working with some doctors in my city.

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

Who would have thought it?

:shrug:

and they do help. I used to consider myself a dog person, but it's clear that my cats are important, too.

When I was 13 and so sick with asthma I nearly died several times, my parents got me a Chihuahua out of sheer desperation. I don't think he helped the asthma, but he did make my life much better. I was terrified of the dark, but with him in bed with me it wasn't nearly as bad. It's a cliche to talk aobut he unconditional love animals give you, but it still amazes me.

Rescued from a puppy mill (being closed). She was a mess when we got her 5 years ago. Sores, dehydrated and she has a weak immunity system. She was finally stabilized at age two and remains happy and healthy.

My mom had surgery last year and we were allowed to take Jean to see her at the rehab hospital. Everyone fell in love with her. We visited twice a week for a month. Although my mom is home now, we still take Jean to the hospital once a month so all the patients can visit with her.

She really does look healthy and happy...intelligent, too. Kudos to you for your efforts to save her, Carla in Ca, and for your kindness in sharing her with those patients in the hospital.

:yourock:

our cute gold-colored pet chicken. Surprisingly enough, she is very bright and really likes people. She will sit in our laps and turn into a giant feather muffin while we pet her. I am sure her presence has helped Hubby deal with his surgeries and being on dialysis. She is able to tell when we don't feel well and trys to cheer us up. The only down side of a pet chicken is the poop (it goes in the compost) but we do get lots of fresh eggs.

One more reason it makes me sad to think of all of the animals/birds raised in less than loving circumstances - also for food - that give them no chance to spread their love!


DemEx

...if we let 'em.

I had another cat who caught my tears as they fell from my eyes. Pets really make our lives better.

I often take naps because i've contracted sleepiness from my sweet dog! :-D