Local pet owners agree dogs are more than just great companions

By Danielle Rexrode
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Research is finally confirming what dog lovers have known for years: dogs are good for your health.

Studies show that owning a dog can have a profound positive effect on your health and well-being. And new research has confirmed that dogs can actually help their owners live longer, healthier, and more enjoyable lives.

“We know that petting a dog or cat can lower blood pressure,” says Bonnie Beaver, professor of veterinary medicine at Texas A&M University and past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “People who are highly stressed frequently relax after coming home and hugging their dog or cat for a while.”

Beaver also touts the benefits of exercise when walking a dog and the increased social interaction evident when people are approached by strangers about their pet.

It’s a dog’s world
“We walk our dog all over the community,” says Sandy Connelly who lives at Eagle’s Trace in Houston. Her five-and-a-half-year-old bichon frise, Killer, enjoys socializing with the other dogs on campus. “He’s a very friendly dog. Actually I’m sure he doesn’t even think he’s a dog; he thinks he’s a four-legged little boy,” she says.

With 70 sprawling acres, a large lake, shade trees, and walking trails, Eagle’s Trace has plenty of room for these furry friends to stretch their legs on a leash without infringing on the rights of community members. Across the Highway 6 from Eagle’s Trace is Houston’s premier 13-acre dog park, Millie Bush Bark Park, located in George Bush Park. Double-gated and fenced, the bark park features large and small dog areas (with fire hydrants), doggie swimming ponds, water fountains, doggie showers, shade areas, benches, scattered trees, and a walking path.