The physical, social and psychological impacts of having a dog as a companion

Abstract

Human-pet interaction has a long history and it should be accredited for the impacts it has had on the society. Coming in contact with animals has been seen to enhance the physical, social and psychological well being and the quality of life both for the owner, the animal and people around them. In the field of psychology dog ownership is a new area being researched. The aim of this qualitative research is to explore and understand the human animal bond and the role that the dog has in a person life, the six participants that took part in the research were dog owners and dog lovers. The social and physical aspects of dog ownership were explored in order to have a holistic view of the participant experience. The participants were between 23-57 years old and explored a collection of benefits and concerns that they faced across their lives. Data analysis was gathered from the six interviews stating the enriching experiences of the relationship that the participants have at present, which has an impact on the lifestyle of the participants interviewed. It also influences the attitudes towards the people and pets. The human animal bond is assessed to be beneficial and it implications in the physical, social and psychological aspects of a human being (Knight & Edwards, 2008).