I grew up with Cocker Spaniels, but my husband Tom’s family had never owned a dog. He remembered how much he wanted an Irish Terrier puppy like his friend had when he was a little boy. Thirteen family members were living in a two-family home and there was simply no room for one more. When we bought our first home in Baltimore, it was finally time for Tom to get his puppy. His heart was set on an Irish Terrier, so he found a breeder three states away and drove up to choose and pick up our new family member. Our kids were 3 and 5 and expected that the new puppy would be tiny. When Tom arrived at the breeder’s, he saw some young puppies from a recent litter, but he immediately identified with a large older puppy who had not been chosen because he was too large to ever be a show dog. Tom picked him and drove him home which began our family’s life with dogs.
We named our first dog Big Mac. He was everything you could want in a dog, and he loved each of us in his own special way for 12 years. None of us had thought we would ever lose him, and we were totally ill prepared for it. It was the first loss our family had experienced, and it was devastating. We had one more Irish Terrier and then began adopting shelter and rescue dogs after moving to California.
Our first shelter dog came from our Ventura County animal shelter. He had one day left on his shelter time when my son and I first saw him sitting alone in the back of a big cage. His owner had dropped him off and simply noted “can’t keep” on his paperwork. We had no intention of bringing home a dog that day but simply could not leave him. Bomber was a wonderful little dog. By this time our kids were both in college, so Bomber, Tom and I became our new family group.
After Bomber’s death, Tom and I found Oscar at a rescue event. We always had one dog until Tom went to buy dog food at Petco one day and not only brought home the dog food but also a sweet little girl named Sasha. That was the beginning of our two-dog family. After losing Oscar at age 15, I walked by our local dog rescue on a Sunday in August 2012 again with no intention of bringing a dog home. A local shelter had just brought in a skinny little while Poodle mix that had been found roaming the streets of Santa Paula. The poor little guy was so dirty and so pitiful that once again I decided that I could not leave him. Charlie moved in that afternoon with Tom, Sasha and me.
Tom died in 2015 and Sasha in 2018. I was very sad about losing Sasha but was really surprised at how much her loss affected our other dog Charlie. Our veterinarian said that bonded dogs really feel and react to the loss of the other dog. This time it was Charlie and I who went to rescue groups to find 
a new dog for both of us. We found Sweetie, a Poodle-Bichon mix like Charlie, on a Sunday afternoon in 2018 and brought her to her new home. I am so grateful that these two little dogs make my life brighter every day, that their antics make me laugh, and that their love and affection keep me from ever feeling alone.
A Harvard Medical School Special Health Report, “Get Healthy, Get a Dog” and American Kennel Club’s “10 Science-Based Benefits of Having a Dog” provide scientific evidence to support what I and all dog owners know. Life is just better with a dog. Recent research shows that owning a dog is good for you both physically and emotionally. The American Kennel Club report lists ten science-based benefits of having a dog:
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- Dogs make us feel less alone. They offer unconditional love, emotional support and constant cuddles that help stave off social isolation and loneliness.
- Dogs are good for your heart. Studies between 1950 and 2019 found that dog ownership lowers risk of death from heart attack. People with previous coronary events had an even higher level of risk reduction. Research has shown that the bond between humans and dogs reduces stress, a major cause of cardiovascular problems.
- Dogs help stop stress. Even petting a dog lowers blood pressure, slows breathing, and relaxes muscle tension. A Washington State University study discovered that just 10 minutes of petting a dog can result in a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone.
- Dogs help us cope with crisis. Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine discovered that military veterans with service dogs have a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms and showed improved coping skills.
- Dogs encourage you to move. A 2019 British study discovered that dog owners are nearly four times more likely than non-dog owners to meet daily physical activity guidelines. Dog owners spend nearly 200 more minutes walking their dogs than people without dogs.
- Dogs make you more attractive – even virtually. In one study individuals rated people in photographs as looking happier and more relaxed when they appeared with a dog.
- Dogs make us more social. A study at Tufts University concluded that people who have a strong attachment to a pet feel more connected in their human relationships and communities.
- Dogs are so adorable they make us love them. A dog’s facial features possess an “infant schema,” which triggers an innate caregiver response in humans.
- Dogs make us happier. A Japanese study found that simply staring into your dog’s eyes raises your level of oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone.”
- Dogs help seniors with cognitive function and social interaction. Studies showed that pet therapy improves the cognitive function of residents with mental illness in long-term care facilities and also showed significant decreases in agitated behaviors in seniors with dementia and improved social interactions.
The American Kennel Club report says that a four-footed best friend provides unconditional love and support, which is especially important during challenging times. Though we may think we are taking care of our canine companions, it’s mutual: Dogs take care of us and science confirms it.
A personally moving recent example of what dogs mean to us is a text from a wonderful old friend. She had just returned from a 10 day stay in the 
hospital where an uninterrupted good night’s sleep is not the norm. On the morning after her return she texted, “I slept well last night with my dog by my side.” I knew exactly what she meant.