EXPLORING THE EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF HAVING A DOG

Who gives the best warm fuzzies? That little furball curled up at your feet right now.

- JUNO DE MELO

THERE'S NO denying that the unconditional love from a four-legged friend makes us happy. We're all pretty much aligned on that: Almost 90 percent of dog and cat owners said their pets have a positive impact on their mental health, according to a recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association. "I'm an absolute believer that my life has been made richer through my experience with animals," says Hal Herzog, PhD, professor emeritus of psychology at Western Carolina University, who studies animal behavior. Herzog adds that, although we can be sure our pets brighten our days, he and his colleagues are still studying the science behind how they do it. Sticking with the theme of this issue, we looked into the available research and broke down some ways our animals make us feel better. Note: To help maximize these benefits, experts advise squeezing in as much together time as you can. "It's not just having a pet that matters-it's the quality of the relationship," says Megan Mueller, PhD, who leads the Pets and Well-Being Lab at Tufts University. "A colleague of mine is fond of saying that having a pet is like having a bike. If it's sitting in the garage collecting dust, it's not doing much good."