Laurie Semler | Article & Photo Olaf and Kola

Anyone who chooses to share life with a furry friend will surely understand this sentiment printed on one of many fridge magnets adorning our refrigerator . My husband and I have been privileged to share our lives with four dogs — Buddy , Teddy , and our current “ furry babies ,” Kola and Olaf . Like most people who bring a companion animal into their lives , we quickly recognized the happiness and fulfillment that pets bring . However , there are many additional benefits to having a pet of which people may be unaware .

Companionship is a frequently cited benefit of having a pet . Our house never feels empty with a dog — or two — around . Whether there is housework to do , a movie to watch , or an article to write , our dogs are always close by and interested in what we are doing . As I write this article , both Olaf and Kola are snoozing quietly at my feet , a comforting reminder that I am not alone in the house .

Another benefit of sharing life with a pet is increased levels of exercise . One interesting study concluded that even on days with bad weather , people who walk a dog regularly are more active than people without a dog are on the sunniest , warmest days . With the isolation brought about by the current pandemic , one of the few “ normal ” things my husband and I can still do is take the dogs for a walk . All our dogs have loved their “ walkies ,” leading us to refer to them as our Exercise Machines . And we do , indeed , go for our family walks on even the coldest winter days .

When I first had the idea for this article , we were sharing our lives with a sweet , loyal , quirky Shiba Inu named Teddy . Sadly , we lost him in June of 2019 . It was through Teddy that I learned of the positive effect that even a brief encounter with an

animal can have on someone ’ s life .

Shortly after adopting Teddy when he was 2½ years old , we took him with us when we drove to Ontario to visit my in-laws . At every stop , he proved a charming ambassador for his breed as people asked what kind of dog he was . Invariably these chance encounters brought comments like “ What a cute dog ” or “ How sweet ,” and people walked away smiling .

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