Can Pets improve our mental health?
by gentlelifehacks | Aug 30, 2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Kid's corner, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised
A loyal friend
Basil Brush was my beloved friend.
He was a hairy, stocky, short little dog with bucked teeth, an underbite, and a tummy that scraped the steps if he could manage them.
He had a deep bark for such a little dog and a very weak bladder, which unfortunately only appeared if he noticed that a visitor did not enjoy his welcome wag over their feet.
He lived unitl he was nearly 17 years old, and it broke my heart when he died.
Although I know that I will never be able to replace what he meant to me, I often search online for a puppy, as I hope to get another dog one day soon.
Looking at all of the puppies actually has a calming effect on me too.
The difference a pet can make
Pets are important and can make a huge difference to a person’s life.
It is well known that they provide a great source of comfort and support.
Nothing compares to the joy of coming home to such a loyal companion.
Pets often offer such unconditional love and will keep you company , so that any loneliness is minimised, and can boost your mood while decreasing levels of cortisol which is a stress related hormone.
So for decreasing stress levels, lowering blood pressure and improving our heart health, we are encouraged to take them for walks.
They also help children with their emotional and social skills and give them a sense of personal responsibility when caring for a pet.
There are many other benefits to owning a pet – Read more here
Not everybody should own a pet
Of course, sadly, not everyone should own a pet, as there will be many that are given up because their humans cannot care for them.
So before you rush out and buy a pet, why not consider re-homing one in need of a good home. Read more here
Often, when I think about Basil Brush, I think about how supportive that dear little dog was during some of our darkest days, when my late husband was fighting cancer.
Basil was always there. Ready to snuggle on my lap ( all 12 kg of him!)
In fact, I often chuckle at some of my precious memories of his spirited character.
The images of him racing down the beach with ears flapping, or sitting looking up at me, with his overbite and hair in his eyes, or of him just giving me a gentle nudge, while sitting expectantly under the dinner table, to remind me to offer him a tasty morsel or too!
“Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, and filling an emptiness we didn’t even know we had.”
In Memory of Basil Brush (X Shih Tzu /Dachshund )
©2021 gentlelifehacks.com|e-propertymatters.com| Author| Kathryn
“Health-full” honey bees
by gentlelifehacks | 13/07/2021 | Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
7 Cancer Myths
by gentlelifehacks | 06/08/2021 | caregiving, Healthy living, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
A dog in sheep’s clothing
by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Lifestyle, Opinion, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Air fryer health benefits
by gentlelifehacks | 28/10/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Opinion | 0 Comments
Apple Cider Vinegar’s Mum
by gentlelifehacks | 30/06/2021 | Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Are we teens addicted to gaming?
by gentlelifehacks | 17/08/2023 | Healthy living, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs | 0 Comments
Can you hear me?
by gentlelifehacks | 18/09/2024 | caregiving, Coping skills, Good values, Healthy living | 0 Comments
Understanding Dementia
by gentlelifehacks | 19/02/2024 | caregiving, Coping skills, Healthy living, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Bad sugar
by gentlelifehacks | 16/02/2024 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
More rainbows please
by gentlelifehacks | 16/02/2024 | Life Stories, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Create a “laugh alot” garden for kids
by gentlelifehacks | 16/02/2024 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Kid's corner, Lifestyle, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Virus or bacterial infection?
by gentlelifehacks | 02/02/2024 | caregiving, Healthy living, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Mangoes are the fruit of eternal love
by gentlelifehacks | 02/11/2023 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Is Hashimotos Thyroiditis incurable?
by gentlelifehacks | 29/09/2023 | caregiving, Coping skills, Healthy living, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Bounce back from illness
by gentlelifehacks | 25/09/2023 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Herbs and health benefits
by gentlelifehacks | 18/09/2023 | caregiving, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Be positive and hold on tight!
by gentlelifehacks | 17/09/2023 | caregiving, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Opinion | 0 Comments
Eating right as a teenager
by gentlelifehacks | 17/08/2023 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Kid's corner, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs | 0 Comments
Teenagers who are stressed and anxious
by gentlelifehacks | 13/08/2023 | Coping skills, Kid's corner, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs | 0 Comments
Avoiding acne as a teen
by gentlelifehacks | 12/04/2023 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Maddie's Blogs | 0 Comments
Business Lingo- Cars NOT Cows!
by gentlelifehacks | 04/01/2023 | Life Stories, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Asbestos hazard
by gentlelifehacks | 04/01/2023 | Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Fighting to stay healthy
by gentlelifehacks | 29/11/2022 | caregiving, Coping skills, Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Don’t make selling harder by over-pricing
by gentlelifehacks | 26/07/2022 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Who’s your perfect match then?
by gentlelifehacks | 08/04/2022 | Lifestyle, uncategorised, Zodiac signs and more | 0 Comments
When the real estate market changes
by gentlelifehacks | 25/03/2022 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Make your home a “healthy home”?
by gentlelifehacks | 18/03/2022 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments
House too small now?
by gentlelifehacks | 02/02/2022 | Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments
When is the right time to sell?
by gentlelifehacks | 26/01/2022 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Opinion, Real Estate | 0 Comments
The things kids say!
by gentlelifehacks | 20/01/2022 | Life Stories, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Elephants of Etosha
by gentlelifehacks | 09/12/2021 | Life Stories, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Unusual visitors
by gentlelifehacks | 09/12/2021 | Healthy living, Life Stories, Lifestyle | 2 Comments
When will Covid end?
by gentlelifehacks | 07/12/2021 | Coping skills, Lifestyle, Opinion, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Turn bad news into good news
by gentlelifehacks | 12/11/2021 | caregiving, Coping skills, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Opinion | 0 Comments
The Bad Landlord
by gentlelifehacks | 12/11/2021 | Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Crazy world house prices
by gentlelifehacks | 28/10/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Opinion, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Music soothes the soul
by gentlelifehacks | 27/10/2021 | caregiving, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs | 0 Comments
Tips for a healthier home
by gentlelifehacks | 20/10/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments
Healing with food
by gentlelifehacks | 19/10/2021 | caregiving, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Mindfulness – when the going gets tough
by gentlelifehacks | 18/10/2021 | caregiving, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
The lonely bee hotel
by gentlelifehacks | 17/10/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Maddie's Children's Corner | 0 Comments
Fighting inflammation with Turmeric
by gentlelifehacks | 05/10/2021 | caregiving, Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Why children love and need pets
by gentlelifehacks | 05/10/2021 | caregiving, Healthy living, Kid's corner, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs, Maddie's Children's Corner | 2 Comments
Waste not…want not!
by gentlelifehacks | 04/10/2021 | caregiving, Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Kid's corner, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Lock down fatigue
by gentlelifehacks | 30/09/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Mask up and make a difference
by gentlelifehacks | 14/09/2021 | caregiving, Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Opinion, uncategorised | 0 Comments
The dark side of chocolate
by gentlelifehacks | 13/09/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Kid's corner, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs | 0 Comments
Is stress making you gain weight?
by gentlelifehacks | 10/09/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Opinion, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Can you cure Hypothyroidism?
by gentlelifehacks | 08/09/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
So what’s your horoscope say today?
by gentlelifehacks | 07/09/2021 | Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Opinion, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Get on your bike!
by gentlelifehacks | 30/08/2021 | Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Can Pets improve our mental health?
by gentlelifehacks | 30/08/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Kid's corner, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
The less you own, the less owns you
by gentlelifehacks | 25/08/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Try something different
by gentlelifehacks | 16/08/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Is Red wine good for you?
by gentlelifehacks | 13/08/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Opinion, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Is Goat’s cheese better for you than cow’s cheese?
by gentlelifehacks | 09/08/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Good, bad or ugly?
by gentlelifehacks | 08/08/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Stressed & Angry?
by gentlelifehacks | 06/08/2021 | caregiving, Healthy living, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Is coffee good for us?
by gentlelifehacks | 02/08/2021 | Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Kill unkindness with kindness
by gentlelifehacks | 23/07/2021 | caregiving, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Zoomers and creative writing
by gentlelifehacks | 23/07/2021 | Home and Garden, Kid's corner, Lifestyle, Maddie's Blogs, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Feeling like a sad bear?
by gentlelifehacks | 19/07/2021 | Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Greens are good says Maddie
by gentlelifehacks | 18/07/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Kid's corner, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, Opinion, uncategorised | 1 Comment
Oranges to stay healthy
by gentlelifehacks | 17/07/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Auto immune diseases
by gentlelifehacks | 11/07/2021 | Healthy living, Lifestyle, Opinion | 0 Comments
Baby Baby good for you?
by gentlelifehacks | 09/07/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 2 Comments
Maddie’s raw egg shake
by gentlelifehacks | 06/07/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Home and income… really ?
by gentlelifehacks | 06/07/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Opinion, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Befriend the little birds
by gentlelifehacks | 01/07/2021 | Handy hints, Home and Garden, Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Mokopuna
by gentlelifehacks | 30/06/2021 | Lifestyle, Opinion, uncategorised | 0 Comments
A drawing by Maddie ( age 11)
Spirulina for smoothies
by gentlelifehacks | 29/06/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Cancer and Bicarb of soda
by gentlelifehacks | 27/06/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Lifehacks, Lifestyle | 1 Comment
Do you miss the world?
by gentlelifehacks | 27/06/2021 | Lifestyle, Opinion | 0 Comments
Lemons
by gentlelifehacks | 22/06/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments
Buyer’s remorse
by gentlelifehacks | 22/06/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Opinion, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Smart gadgets
by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Technology | 0 Comments
Messy house or hoarder?
by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Handy hints, Lifestyle, Opinion | 0 Comments
Houses built from hemp
by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments
10 Simple Life Hacks to Stay Healthy and Active
by gentlelifehacks | 25/09/2024 | Health and Wellness | 0 Comments
10 warning signs to look out for when buying a house
by gentlelifehacks | 30/11/2021 | Handy hints, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments
A wise old donkey
by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments
Are you a hoarder?
by gentlelifehacks | 20/01/2023 | caregiving, Coping skills, Handy hints, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments