A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. – Josh Billings

Friends, companions, and soul mates come in all shapes and sizes, and dogs are surely one of them. They bring so much love, affection, and humor to our lives. It probably comes as no surprise that the human-dog bond may be deeply intertwined with our well-being as well. And it's only right that we celebrate them for all the joy and love they have given us. To help encourage the public to recognize the beautiful bond between dogs and humans, International Dog Day is also celebrated on 26 August every year. It is celebrated to create awareness about the requirement to acknowledge, pets, stray, and all other types of dogs. This day was started in the US in 2004 by a pet and family lifestyle expert and animal rescue advocate Collen Paige.

Dogs are quite famous for their ability to socialize with humans. It's not just the typical long walks and little games, the dogs seem to understand us in a way that no other animal does. Even modern science has determined that dogs and humans do understand each other, and form a bond with time. Many researchers believe that dogs can express empathy for humans. Some studies have noted that compared to strangers, dogs react more stimulating to the smell of their owners or to the people they connect with, and it triggers the part of their brains linked with emphatic emotions and happiness. And this unique capability to bond is unparalleled in the animal kingdom, truly earning a dog the position as man’s best friend.

The connection between dogs and humans depends on the people involved and distinct situations, which can lead to a co-dependent relationship in which dogs grow too attached to humans. Some researchers have indicated that when dogs stare into our eyes, they activate the same hormonal human response that makes us connect with human infants. Additionally, a 2003 study conducted by J.S.J. Odendaal, shown in an article, explains that when humans pet dogs, their bodies release oxytocin, a hormone connected with not only pleasure but friendship and love as well. Dogs are likewise considered a source of social support and association, which are essential for well-being. They sometimes also become part of a community and a meaningful determinant of the psychological well-being of humans.

The puzzling history of dogs has been unveiled originally through different studies. Evidence of prehistoric dog-like creatures explains to us that the evolution of the dog can be traced back millions of years. The transition of some wolves into dogs originated upwards of centuries ago. Researchers at the University of Oxford studied dogs by sequencing DNA from the inner-ear bone of a dog that lived 4,800 years ago. They discovered that humans likely domesticated dogs in two separate geographic regions. After mapping the genetic data, they concluded that there were domesticated dogs in some parts of the Earth. And this study recommended that some groups of ancient humans domesticated dogs. And it was certainly something that the whole human species valued from the get-go. Consequently, the two species developed an understanding that no other species, including higher-order primates, share with each other.

The director of the Centre for the Interaction of Animals and Society at the Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. James Serpell told petmd that, “We don’t certainly know why humans and wolves got together in the first place, but once that bond was established, humans were selecting, very swiftly, for the most socially able wolves, the ones who responded to humans in this characteristically dog-like way”. The exact timeline for dog domestication is still confusing, but no matter when humans first interacted with them, it surely paved the way for interspecies companionship.

There have been many such types of research that have explained the reasons behind the connection between humans and dogs. And the beauty of it all is that dogs don’t do it to prove a point or to show anything to anyone. Dogs don’t try to be friends with humans, they simply do it because it’s in their instinct. And it’s the only way how they know they can show their affection and connection towards humans. We call them loyal towards humans, but it's just a part of their life, and that’s what makes them one of the great living beings. These cute animals help relax and keep humans happy and active. And companionship is perhaps the most obvious thing that dogs give humans. They have been our companions for many years, and they have continued to do so. Now they share our beds, follow us everywhere, and even share a huge space in our hearts. This beautiful bond between dogs and humans has had some surprising effects on both and helped each other along the way in life. And all the people who love dogs know something that no one else does, there’s no purer form of love than the kind you get from the dogs.

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Reference:

• www.petbucket.com
• www.psychologytoday.com
• www.sciencedirect.com
• www.nationaldogday.com
• www.mvorganizing.org