Dogs are providing a sense of normalcy during uncertainty of COVID-19 pandemic
For anyone who has questioned the truth behind the phrase “ignorance is bliss,” look no further than a dog.
While most people’s worlds have been turned upset down by the coronavirus pandemic, our dogs (and cats) are happily unaware of what is going on around them. In many instances, they are loving the fact many of their owners are working from home.
Some astute pets may realize something is amiss because owners are more anxious about the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus’ spread and the troubled economy. But our dogs don’t share those concerns. And that’s a good thing.
They’re happily going about their lives, charging after squirrels or playing ball with kids or, in the case of my two 12-year-olds, dozing most of the day away.
For me, having two dogs at home has been a godsend. I live alone, so Henry and Calpurnia provide me the opportunity to scratch a furry neck or confide in them when news developments are bringing me down.
That’s important during these trying days.
As the Harvard Medical School has noted, “Dogs’ calming effect on humans also appears to help people handle stress. For example, some research suggests that people with dogs experience less cardiovascular reactivity during times of stress. That means that their heart rate and blood pressure go up less and return to normal more quickly, dampening the effects of stress on the body.”
Laughing also helps reduce tension and lower blood pressure, as the Mayo Clinic says, and well, even in this topsy-turvy world, dogs are proving to a plentiful source of fun. Just like the always do.
It may be my imagination, but it seems the number of videos of dogs on social media has increased. In between the tweets about job losses and deaths are videos of dogs that can make a person laugh out loud.
For example, 17 millions people have viewed this video of a sports commentator “calling” a game between his dogs:
“Thanks for all the messages here,” Cotter tweeted after the video went viral. “They have no idea what’s going on in the world or that they are being laughed at in many countries. In fact they have little clue about anything at the best of times, but anyone who has a dog knows how important they are just now.”
So true.
Athletes have shared some fun dog videos, including soccer star Neymar:
One of Candace Parker’s dogs managed to steal the ball from her:
Some have included their pets in the games they play ...
I don’t want to discriminate, so here’s a soccer-playing cat:
It’s not only athletes who are sharing fun videos that have made us laugh.
Videos have been widely shared of, say, the dog that really, really hates garbage cans:
People working from home have had fun with their pups, including this dog that insisted on being scratched:
Others are dazzling their dogs with magic tricks:
Some dogs absolutely love Easter egg hunts:
Here is my dog Calpurnia, who isn’t a fan of social distancing:
Meanwhile, Henry loves a sunny day, no matter what is happening in the world. And that’s something we can all get behind:
