Dogs have been considered people’s best friend for thousands of years, but never has the relationship between humans and their canine companions been as important as it is today. With the seismic shifts in the world, rates of anxiety and depression have been skyrocketing and people have been turning to their dogs for solace and stability. Amid these dire realities, in the United States alone dog adoptions doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As people have brought furry friends into their lives for the first time or seized this opportunity to deepen the connections they already have, they’re looking to understand how owning a dog can change their lives. Join Jen Golbeck, the “internet’s dog mom” behind the social media platform The Golden Ratio, and science writer Stacey Colino for a conversation about the benefits our dogs can have on our physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being, often without our realizing it.
Weaving together groundbreaking research and real-life stories, Golbeck and Colino explore the social benefits of owning a dog as well as the science of how dogs improve our emotional and physical health, mental acuity, and our ability to focus and absorb information. Most importantly, they remind us of what’s right in the world—love, trust, affection, playtime, fresh air, and sunshine—even when so much feels wrong.
Golbeck and Colino’s book The Purest Bond: Understanding the Human–Canine Connection (Atria Books) is available for purchase.
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