Dressing up our pets may be entertaining for us, but this might just be a human pleasure that is imposed on animals. Your dog may not appreciate the experience. Perhaps you've never seen a cat dressed up with a smile on its face and excitement flowing from its entire body.
A way to foster a human-pet connection is the practice of giving gifts to your furry pet. It's fun for both humans and animals, and it helps to strengthen your bond. Giving gifts to your pet may involve making a big deal out of it by gift-wrapping dogs' treats with ribbons and bows and giving them to them on their birthdays and during the holiday season, just like we do for our human friends and family on their birthdays and during the holiday season.
According to PetFinder.com data, 63% of dog owners and 58% of cat owners buy Christmas presents for their pets. 40%t of cat and dog owners hang Christmas stockings for their pets, and yearly pet gift spending in the United States totals $5 billion! Indeed, this is something you (and your pet) shouldn’t miss out on!
Read on to discover your gift-giving guide for your dog.
A Better Heart and a Better Mind with Gift-Giving
Exchanging presents has been shown in numerous studies to have good psychological effects on both the giver and the recipient, with the giver typically experiencing a higher boost to their mood than the recipient. Giving your pet a gift may have a beneficial influence on both of your moods.
According to research conducted at Virginia Commonwealth University, people who give their dogs gifts do so in order to improve the quality of attention that they receive for them. The inability of pets to return gifts on time highlighted, among other things, the study's results about the subconscious self-directed benefits of gifting.
According to Tracy Ryan, an associate professor, when you donate to a human individual, you feel obligated to repay the favor, but when you give to a pet, you do not. It shows the notion of recompense for giving.
Ellen Langer, a Harvard psychologist, believes that dogs do, in fact, give something back. For example, the more affectionate your dog is towards their owner, the more affectionate the owner can be toward his pet; this illustrates a reciprocal relationship.
Giving your dog gifts is a genuine and pure act, just like your dog! You're comfortable, the interaction is caring, and you expect the dog to enjoy what you're doing for them. In fact, giving gifts to animals may have more good impacts than giving gifts to people, according to a study that will be published in 2021.
Gift-Giving and Pets: The Science
Michael White's research at Columbia Business School was to establish whether or not giving a gift to a dog produces the same level of happiness as giving to oneself or other people.
The first step was to ask 159 people who own pets to recall a time when they spent $5 on themselves, their pets, or another person. Participants frequently mentioned purchasing new snacks, activities, or clothes for their pets, as well as brand-new toys. Participants were asked about their levels of contentment after reviewing their financial commitments. When people reflected on moments when they had spent money on their dogs, they reported the highest levels of happiness.
During the experiment's second phase, each participant put $5 into one of the three groups in which they had previously participated. After completing their purchase, customers received an email with a survey link. Participants reported higher levels of happiness when they spent money on their animals rather than on themselves. Furthermore, they loved life more than those who contributed.
Perhaps purchasing a present for oneself may make one feel egocentric and self-centered. When you give something to someone as a gift, you are constantly concerned that they will not appreciate it. On the other hand, giving your dog a gift is a pure act of kindness that will permeate and positively influence your relationship.
Gift-Giving and Pets: The Animal Psychology
When a person behaves and acts toward their pet as if it were a member of the family, the pet responds by feeling the same way. If you have a Christmas tree, stockings, and gifts, don't forget to include your pet in the festivities.
Although pets cannot grasp that it is their birthday or that it is the holiday season, they like participating in human celebrations. If they see you delivering a gift to someone else and see the joy on that person's face, it will make them even more eager to receive a gift themselves. Dr. Zazie Todd, an animal behaviorist, believes it makes them feel more like members of the family.
Try to do this yourself and experiment by wrapping the gift in ribbons and bows and placing it in a box, exactly as you would for other family members or friends. The process of wrapping a gift in paper and placing it in a box or other sort of container, much as it is for younger children, is an important element of the overall experience. It's probable that dogs and cats enjoy ripping the wrapping paper and deconstructing the box to get at the present so they can sit in it. Everything about this makes them happy.
The Perfect Gifts for Your Perfect Dog
In a variety of ways, providing gifts to animals is more convenient than giving gifts to people. It is also not a costly alternative since all that is required are dog-friendly candies or toys. It should simply be appropriate to give the same gift on several occasions because you are aware of your pet's favorite toys and hobbies.
It is recommended to give our pets snuffle mats because they allow animals to work for their food. Mental stimulation is critical for the entire development of a pet's potential, and this applies to both dogs and cats. These activities keep the youngsters interested and entertained while also preventing behavioral difficulties.
Conclusion
Giving one's time and companionship to others is just as meaningful as exchanging material stuff. When we are present to witness our pets' appreciation for the riches they have given us, our bond with them is enhanced. We are able to partake in their happiness. Positive interactions will improve your bond with them.
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