Thursday, April 10, 2008
I’ve never had a puppy. Or any other pet. You don’t have to tell me I was a deprived child—I’ve gotten it a million times, along with shocked, sympathetic and almost mystified looks. And I couldn’t agree with you more.
The feelings of deprivation once compelled me to capture a ladybug in an empty jelly jar. But when the little critter didn’t turn out to be the cuddly companion I’d hoped for that would follow me around and keep me company, I returned it to the wild terrain of my backyard.
Ever since, I’ve fulfilled my need to nuzzle and coo at small animals through friends who have pets and allow me to play with them, during which time I display the fascination of a 6-year-old during her first trip to the petting zoo.
Statistics abound correlating interaction with dogs to heightened levels of happiness, motivation and even longer life expectancy. A researcher from Queen’s University Belfast recently compiled the findings of dozens of previous studies on the subject, and concluded that dogs can reduce their owners’ stress levels, increase their number of social contacts and enhance their overall mental well-being.
But reaping all these pet-produced perks can be difficult for us busy, cash-strapped college students, and no furry friend wants to be cooped up in an apartment alone all day and fed leftover Chinese food. So read Kaitlyn’s story to find out how to choose the perfect pooch for your wallet and your schedule, and enjoy some photos of KU students’ wuv-able puppies as you read.
If anyone has a Maltese in need of some extra TLC, give me a call. I promise to treat it better than I did my pet ladybug.
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