4 Beautiful Ways Dogs Can Improve Your Relationships

Dogs are man's best friend for a reason. They evolved with us for over 15,000 millennia. They have been our close friends, right by our sides, for ages. To say that human lives are intertwined with the lives of dogs is an understatement. They are our faithful companions, protecting us from wild animals, alerting us to trouble, and keeping us safe and warm. We returned the favor. While we are no longer braving the elements, dealing with the wild and trying to survive, they still serve a strong purpose. Dogs provide us with friendship, but they also teach us things about our relationships, and about ourselves. Read on to find out about the beautiful ways dogs can improve your relationships.

They make you appreciate the little things

One of the most beautiful traits of any dog, big or small, puppy or long in the tooth, is their fascination with the little things. Whether they are following a butterfly down a meadow, standing at a pond, chasing flies around your home, or just staring at you with big, brown eyes full of love, you know they are completely in the moment. So why not apply this to your life, and to your relationships?

Namely, learn how to appreciate the little things. The way your partner laughs, how he or she dances, awkward or otherwise. Look at how funny your friends are, actually cherish the moments you spend with them. Just like dogs are always living in the moment, so should you as much as you can. If you are in the park hanging out with friends, truly be there, not somewhere in the future worrying about the problems of tomorrow, or in the past, battling slights and traumas. At least, for a time, be right here, in the now.

They make you more responsible

A big part of making any relationship work is being responsible. Showing your friends or your partner that they can count on you can mean the world. They need to know you have their backs at all times, and you, of course, need to be the kind of person who can do that. Luckily, adopting a dog teaches you just that. Namely, you need to bring the dog to the vet, get the right shots, get the right food, take the dog out for walks… Introducing a dog to your life means creating many changes, making sacrifices. Even if your dog is a bit too much to handle, you can always take them to a good training school or test your own authority and training skills learned from websites like Totally Goldens, for example. Still, this means you are investing money and time there. The same goes for relationships.

In order to have a good relationship with friends and family, with your partner and with your loved ones, you need to make the right sacrifices. You need to make schedules, create time, and just in general work hard towards making the most out of your relationships.

Staying physically active, together.

Dogs are little balls of joyous energy, just waiting to be released. If you want your dog to stay healthy and happy, you need to take them out for regular walks, you need to get them as much exercise as possible. This gives you a great opportunity to get some exercise as well. And the best pat—you can do this with your partner, or with friends.

Namely, the more the merrier as far as dogs are concerned. You can take your dog to the park, have a lot of fun, and run around, all the while spending time with your (other) loved ones as well. Trust us, even if you don’t feel like it at first, the dog will motivate you to get up and running (literally) the moment he or she wakes up.

They open you up to people

Finally, dogs help you open up. When you are walking through a park, you will invariably meet other dog owners and dog lovers. Bringing your pupper to a pet-friendly café means getting lots of attention. This is a great chance to get you out of your comfort zone and meet new people. This helps you improve some relationships, as well as create new ones. When you're a dog owner, you become part of a community that is centered completely on love.

In your existing relationships, dogs can help you see things that you haven’t before, and make you more vulnerable. Or, rather, they make you more ok with being vulnerable. When you take care of something as innocent as your dog, you get insight into the vulnerability of others as well.

Furthermore, the unconditional love and loyalty your dog shows you should serve as an inspiration to show the same to the people close to you. Go out on the limb here, and actually share your feelings; show the important people in your life how much you care about them.

Conclusion

Your dog will always be there. He or she won't judge you, criticize you, and you can count on absolute loyalty and love. A dog will also help you know yourself better, and make you become more responsible. Dogs will teach you the meaning of loyalty, of appreciating the little things. They will help you open up to people and just get you outside of the house. We hope this article will help you look at our little furry friends in a different, even warmer way.