The warm communication created between dogs and people is being used successfully with troubled children, mental patients, prison inmates, retarded persons, the bedridden elderly and others formerly lost to society. The introduction of dogs to those swept from the mainstream is bridging the gap between one human and another and is helping to establish entry back into the world of personal relationships. It has been observed that merely petting a dog can lower one's blood pressure. They have a calming effect on us. Even just a few minutes a day of close contact with a pet can offer the same medical benefits as meditation.
Most people feel better after touching, talking to and caring for a dog.
It is not all one-sided. Living the good pet life offers many benefits for the dog, too. A loving home socializes a puppy. His existence is free of the anxieties associated with a life of roaming the streets and countryside. But the typical house dog is regarded as a member of the family and as such is given care and attention as never before.