When I met my mother, she was a quiet, introverted lady. She continues to be a reserved person, but when she goes for a walk with me, she is more likely to speak to strangers. Studies have shown that pet owners may be more prone to smile, say hello, and even start a conversation with a stranger.
Not only companion animals are a direct source of companionship and support to their owners, but pets facilitate social support networks. Dogs can serve as the catalyst for friendship formation as well. A 2015 study evaluated the indirect role of pets as facilitators of social interactions such as getting to know people, friendship formation, and social support networks. They performed a phone survey and randomly called about 2, 600 humans from 4 cities (one in Australia (Perth), and three in the U.S (San Diego, Nashville, and Portland). The participants were asked about getting to know people in their neighborhood.
The scientists found that:
- Pet owners are more likely to get to know people in their neighborhood than non-pet owners.
- Dog owners in the U.S. regard people whom they have met through their pet as friends.
- About 40% of pet owners reported receiving one or more types of social support via people they met through their pet.
Based on this research, companion animals can facilitate human social relationships ranging from incidental social interactions to getting to know other people and even developing some cool friendships. These benefits are not limited to dogs, similar results are seen with other companion animals like cats and rabbits among others. Having a healthy social network is essential for both physical and mental health and well-being. Given this association, fostering pet ownership could promote individual welfare as well as healthy communities.
Next time you go for a walk with Fluffy, don’t be afraid to smile to another person. If you want to extend a friendly paw to a person that has a dog, below we share some rules to make this encounter pleasant and safe. Always ask the owner for permission before you approach an unfamiliar dog. If the owner gives you the ok, then:
- Turn your body sideways and do not make eye contact. Staring directly into a dog’s eyes could be seen as a challenge (for the dog, not the owner).
- Never approach a dog head-on.
- Allow the dog to take a few steps towards you and smell you.
- Stay calm.
- Limit your words. Speak less.
- Avoid speaking in an excited, high-pitched, whiny tone.
- Let your body language communicate with the dog.
- It is not wise to hug an unfamiliar dog. To a dog, this could be seen as a dominance challenge. This rule applies to people as well – It is not a good idea to hug unfamiliar people either.
Enjoy your next walk with your dog, and I hope you make new friends. Woof, woof!
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