Most men feel ‘emotionally closer’ to their dogs than other humans

There’s no denying that we love dogs.

They’re loyal, they’re cute, they have endless enthusiasm about your mere presence that no other human could possibly emulate.

For us, it’s no surprise that new research has found that most men feel “emotionally closer” to their dogs than other human beings in their lives.

Research by Dr Chris Blazina suggests that men feel more stable in their relationship with their dogs.

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This study looked at why this is the case and how owning a dog can improve a man’s life.

The men surveyed were asked to compare the relationship they have with their dogs with the relationship they have with the closest person in their lives.

62% of them said that the relationship with their pet was “almost always” a secure one.

Interestingly, only 10% said their relationship with their closest human companion was a secure one.

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Dr Blazina found that as men get older, a dog can take on an even more significant role in their lives.

He conducted the research after suffering from profound grief after the loss of his beloved dog, Kelsey.

He said: “When I started grieving the loss of my old friend part of that process was to understand why Kelsey was so important in my life.”

“One of the realisations was grief involving people was a lot like grief with an animal companion. We build an attachment, we deal with loss, and we try to preserve some parts of our bond. The later part is sometimes referred to as a continuing bond.”