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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG

Introduction

The dog is known as the first domesticated animal. It started off with the wolf which was

domesticated by hunter-gatherers. As a result of this domestication it has given dogs a behavior

that appeals more to humans rather than other domestic animals. Communication between dogs

and humans has been shown through shared behavioral and social qualities of both species.

Some of these qualities include showing affection, empathy, and communication. Dogs dont

actually talk like humans do of course, but they do bark or have an action to tell humans what

they want. For example, my dog scratches at the door when he wants to be let inside or out. Dogs

can also understand what we are saying by paying attention to the pitch and rhythms in our

voice. My dogs go crazy when they hear us ask if they want to go on a walk, they run and bark

and just go crazy every time. They also know when we are upset with them because they will

cower and act pitiful (Jensen, 2006).

There is an old saying that dogs are a mans best friend that I believe is true. They can

be a womans best friend too, just like my dog is mine. This is because of the bond that is formed

between dogs and their owners, oxytocin is the hormone that stimulates this bonding as well as

trust. By petting your dog, it decreases stress levels and acts as a calming mechanism. My dog

makes me feel better by just laying with me and comforting me, he always shows affection by

cuddling up next to me and giving kisses. Dogs give people a sense of security and safety as

well. Mine may be small, but they still act as guard dogs not letting anyone they dont recognize

step foot in our yard. I have always felt safe home alone because of my dogs, I trust them to

protect me and they havent let me down (Brumfield, 2016).

Owning a dog comes with many advantages for a persons health and well-being, which

is what this paper will revolve around. Some of these include better health, a happier life, and
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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
a profound bond. Becoming a dog owner comes with great responsibility and shouldnt be

taken lightly, but I would still recommend owning one if youre up for the challenge. My

dogs are a part of my family and I treat them as such, and in return they have become one of

the most important things in my life. I have always had a dog in my life, so I do believe that

they come with many more benefits than disadvantages which might make me biased.

Personally my dog has helped me live a happier life by always showing me affection and

being there for me when I need him. My goal is to teach and maybe even persuade people to

get a dog by providing the advantages of becoming a dog owner. I am researching the

positive impacts domestic dogs have on humans. I am very interested in this research because

I love dogs and I believe they serve as a beneficial role in our lives. I intend to research the

advantages of owning a dog and why they make such great pets. I plan to dig further into my

topic through research and hope to find out why owning a dog has shown more benefits than

other animals.

Entering the Conversation Commented [1]: I think that the two-part study you
proposed to be conducted is created in a way that will
just prove dogs help increase productivity. I feel like
I am going to develop a study to test whether bringing your dog to work increases that such studies have already been conducted and
proven the idea. I think you could improve your study
productivity and cooperation. I will use four volunteers from different workplaces, that are dog by adding a component that distinguishes you from
other studies. For example, if your workplace
productivity, you could use other types of animals such
owners and bring their pet to work with them. I will also be surveying people that own a dog but as cats, rodents, birds, etc. and this study could
potentially show that dogs have the biggest impact on
productivity.
do not bring their pet to work with them and ask the reason behind that. This will be a
Commented [2]: It may be helpful to note what kind of
different workplaces these volunteers would ideally be
combination of both quantitative and qualitative research as I will measure the amount of coming from. This may be a factor that affects your
results. How different work environments impact the
productivity as well as survey the volunteers. These volunteers will be researched for two weeks, dog's behavior could be one of your observed
variables.

the first week I will be noting the amount of productivity with their dog in the workplace and the Commented [3]: You talk about one part of your study
but then switch to talking about the other part and then
switch back to the original part. I think you should
second week will be without their pet. rearrange the paragraphs so that the paragraph that
talks about "the quantitative portion of this..." comes
right after the paragraph highlighted. This way you can
focus about explaining each part at a time and then
bring it together to see what you will get from this
study.
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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
The qualitative portion of this study will include a survey to learn about different

peoples perspectives on whether dogs should be allowed in the workplace. I will ask four

volunteers with pets from different workplaces, four people that dont bring their pets to work

even though they work in a pet friendly environment, and another four people that do not own a

pet but work in a pet friendly business. This survey will help to answer questions like in what Commented [4]: This sentence felt a little rushed. the
numbers you threw out kind of got lost within the
sentence. I would break it down further by starting off
ways does having your dog in your workplace help you? Do you communicate with more of your with saying the total number of volunteers and then
delving into where those volunteers will come from.
coworkers because of having your pet in your place of work? Does having your dog with you This might be a good spot to break it down into two
sentences.

give you a sense of comfort? Why? Do you feel less stressed with your dog being with you in the

workplace? I also would like to find out if there have been any difficulties or problems that have

been faced by having their dog with them by asking have you had any conflicts with coworkers

because of brining your pet with you to work? Has there been any conflicts with people having

allergies? I also have questions pertaining to the rules and regulations of having pets in the

workplace. Like, does the business has any policies or have a way to make sure that the pets are

friendly and safe for the workplace. This is important because the employees safety should

always come first, they should never feel afraid or threatened in their place of work. I would also

like to ask what happens if a pet does become unsafe for the environment and if the employee is

ever penalized for their pets actions. These questions will help to get a better understanding of

what happens in the workplace and how the employers go about deciding which animals are fit

for the environment.

I will also ask questions to those who do not bring their pet with them to work to get

input from multiple perspectives. These questions include why do you choose to leave your pet

at home? Does being surrounded by pets in your workplace distract you from your work? Do you

often socialize with your coworkers because of their pet? I still need one more perspective on
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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
this subject, and that would be one from a person who does not own a pet but works in a pet

friendly business. I would ask why do you not want a pet? How do you feel about pets in the

workplace? Do you feel pets give more disadvantages than advantages? Do you find the pets

distracting at all? Do you feel stressed out a lot? Do any of the pets in your workplace make you

feel uncomfortable? If so, why? Have you had any conflicts with coworkers about their pet? If

so, what happened? Have you been able to form any bonds with the pets in your workplace?

Have you thought about getting a dog? All of these questions play an important role in figuring

out if dogs increase productivity and cooperation and how people view pets in the workplace.
The quantitative portion of this study is the actual measuring of productivity and amount
and quality of the work that is accomplished with and without a pet owners dog in their place of
Commented [5]: I feel after reading this that paragraph
seems a little cluttered. The flurry of questions is a bit
distracting from the content of the questions. I would
suggest maybe compiling them into a list like format.
This would also provide a good break between long
portions of text as seen in the student examples.

work. I will use the same four dog owners that I surveyed earlier to be studied throughout a span

of two weeks. In the first week, I will study the amount of work that gets completed, as well as

take note of how many times the worker socializes with their coworkers when their dog is

present. The second week I will conduct the same research but without the dog in the workplace.

We will see how many times the employee has to work through lunch or stay late to finish their

work during these two weeks. Within these two weeks I will also be taking the volunteers blood

pressure and heart rate multiple times throughout the day to see if their pet plays a role in the

decreasing of the rates and calming of their owner. I do both of these studies for a whole week

rather than just doing it for a day or two because workloads can change so I want a more

accurate measurement. I will calculate the amount of progress and work that is completed

throughout the two weeks and compare the numbers to get a percentage of the amount of work

accomplished. I will also calculate the difference in blood pressure and heart rates with and

without their dogs with them.

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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
By comparing the statistics and surveys of the different research subjects, I hope to find

that the amount of work and employee cooperation increases by bringing their dogs to work. I

also hope that this study will reach many different companies and businesses so that dogs will be

allowed in more workplaces. By choosing to do both qualitative and quantitative research it

allows for more variety among the results. The use of pet owners to conduct this research was

imperative to obtain information and thoughts revolving around the main subject of this

experiment. Also, by surveying dog owners that do not bring their pet with them to work helps to

lessen the amount of bias within the research.

Literature Review

Becoming a dog owner comes with many perks including a decreased risk of getting

diseases and illnesses. Studies have shown that owning a dog results in decreased blood pressure

and lower cholesterol levels (Shute, 2016). For example, Shutes (2016) article it discusses how

Eric OGrey was advised by a naturopathic doctor, use therapeutic methods to encourage self-

healing, to get a dog so that he could lose weight and lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Having pets in the household can decrease the chance of allergic disorders and asthma in

children (Sudhir, 2011). They also have shown the ability to decrease doctor visits. Dana Pierce,

a fellow dog owner, was interviewed and stated that she does not get sick often and rarely goes

to the doctor other than for basic checkups. Dogs also help people with mental illnesses by

showing them love and affection. Dog owners are also less likely to commit suicide and have a

reduced severity of depression because they have something dependent on them (Ross, 2016).

Dogs must be walked so this increases their owners physical activity and strengthens your heart

which allows for better health (Sudhir, 2011). Pierce also said that part of the reason she is
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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
healthy and fit is because she has two dogs that she has to walk every day requiring her to

exercise and get fresh air.

Another benefit of owning a dog is they help lower stress levels. Carole Tweed, another

dog owner, was interviewed as well and states that her dogs make her laugh and always show

affection, making her happier and stress free. Pierce believes that her dogs keep her happy and

positive which in return makes her feel less stressed and puts her in a good mood. Some

businesses allow workers to bring their pets to work which has shown lowered stress and

increased productivity (Noguchi, 2016). In Noguchis (2016) article she uses a store located in

Greensboro, North Carolina called Replacements as an example of a business that allows pets to

come to work. Some employees there stated that bringing and seeing pets at work is their

favorite perk and that they form a bond with the animals, making it hard when they pass away.

Lowered mental stress levels in dog owners is also a result of having their dog with them, as

shown in a laboratory response that found a dogs presence was beneficial for cardiac autonomic

profile (Sudhir, 2011). Pierce often feels less stressed when in the presence of her dogs, and

believes her heart rate decreases as well as blood pressure when petting her dogs.

Dogs have the ability to form bonds with their owners which acts as another benefit for

people. These bonds allow them to form the ability to read their owners emotions. Dogs will pay

attention to the different rhythms and pitches in our voice to distinguish our emotions (Doucleff,

2014). When dogs and their owners look into each others eyes it increases oxytocin levels which

stimulates trust and bonding (Brumfield, 2015). Dogs show a bond with their owners through

yawn contagion, when their owner yawns it can provoke the dog to yawn too, showing

communication between the two species (Trudeau, Greenhalgh, 2017). Yawn contagion is a way

dogs show empathy and is a form of synchronization (Waal, 2011). Yawn contagion is related to
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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
empathy because they are activated in the same area of the brain. It is connected because a study

has shown that people with empathy problems do not have yawn contagion (Waal, 2011). Pierce

and Tweed love their dogs and believe that they contribute to their own happiness because of the

companionship they offer and the bonds they have formed.

Conclusion Commented [6]: Overall, your paper does an excellent

job of introducing your perspective on the benefits of
dogs. Your entering the conversation section is
After conducting this research, I have found many benefits that come with dog intriguing because it proves your point through
qualitative and quantitative data. Finally, your did a
ownership, some include decreased blood pressure, increased physical activity and lower stress great job in how the research does not stop with your
proposed study because so much more can be studied
to discover more intricate details.
levels. We have the ability to form bonds with our dogs and communicate with them on a certain

level, through yawn contagion and understanding the pitches in our voices. Dogs are also helpful

when it comes to being comforted and giving us companionship. They teach us responsibility

and the show us what it is like to care for another living creature. This research acts as an

overview of the many different advantages of owning a dog, but the research doesnt stop there it

goes into much more detail and even deeper experimentation.
I created my own experiment that would prove whether or not dogs are beneficial in the
work place, like Noguchi had discussed in her article. I also designed this experiment to find out
Commented [7]: I think this is a good starting point to
suggest further research. I would expand what you
meant when saying "deeper experimentation." What
would that look like? I would suggest ways that other
researchers could prove more benefits to allowing dogs
in the workplace.

the different thoughts on having pets in the workplace and how it affects different people. The

questionnaire that was included in my experiment would also help to understand how a pet

friendly business operates and the rules involved. If this experiment were actually conducted I

would hope that it would prove my hypothesis correct and would lead to more pets being

allowed in the workplace. I would suggest discussing whether or not owning a dog could be

beneficial to your health with your doctor if you are experiencing any medical conditions,

especially if they are any of the conditions I have stated within this paper. To further this

research, one could look at more experiments that have been conducted and also adding in the
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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
disadvantages of owning a dog in order to make a decision on owning one. Even though I am

biased because of my background with owning dogs and the many benefits I believe they bring

to people, I understand they arent for everyone.

Works Cited

Arhant-Sudhir, K., Arhant-Sudhir, R., & Sudhir, K. (2011). Pet Ownership and

Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: Supporting Evidence, Conflicting Data and Underlying

Mechanisms. CEPP, 38, 734-738. Retrieved from

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-1681.2011.05583.x/full

Brumfiel, G. (2015). Scientists Probe Puppy Love. Retrieved from

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/04/16/400102668/scientists-probe- puppy-

love

Doucleff, M. (2014). How Dogs Understand What We Say. Retrieved from

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/11/28/367092004/how-dogs-understand-

what-we-say

Jensen, P. (2006). The Behavioral Biology of Dogs. Retrieved from

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=SpkSd__EdKYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA21&d

q=domestication+of+dogs&ots=4oSxWKRNX5&sig=pdEh1wMkVl7Rw4Bt2OxVW4D

FMe4#v=onepage&q=domestication%20of%20dogs&f=false

Noguchi, Y. (2016). Who Let the Dogs In? More Companies Welcome Pets at Work.

Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2016/08/08/488586121/who-let-the-dogs-in-more-

companies-welcome-pets-at-work
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THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A DOG
Ross, E. (2016). Pets Help People Manage the Pain of Serious Mental Illness. Retrieved from

http://www.npr.org/sections/health- shots/2016/12/09/504971146/pets-help-people-

manage-life-with-serious-mental-illness

Shute, A. (2016). He Rescued a Dog. Then the Dog Rescued Him. Retrieved from

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/10/469785736/he-rescued-a-dog-then-

the-dog-rescued-him

Trudeau, M., Greenhalgh, J. (2017). Yawning May Promote Social Bonding Even

Between Dogs and Humans. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-

shots/2017/05/15/527106576/yawning-may-promote-social-bonding-even-between-dogs-

and-humans

Waal, F. (2011). Moral Behavior in Animals. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/frans_de_waal_do_animals_have_morals/transcript