Mary Allen
One in four Swedes states that the dog contributes to increasing their sense of security. It shows “Swedes and security 2017”, a report produced by the alarm company Verisure in collaboration with Kantar Sifo.
Just over one in three Swedes states that they do not feel completely safe in their area. It shows a new report produced with the aim of examining how safe Swedes feel today. But a dog at home makes many people feel much safer. The dog not only proves to be man’s best friend, it is also an important contributing factor to the feeling of security. One in four Swedes states that they would feel safer if they had a dog at home.
Dog Increases Security
A little older research also shows that dogs mean a lot for children to feel good and feel safe. It is a small study done in 2015, on 643 children between 6 and 7 years, which shows that a dog makes a difference to make children feel less anxious. The results suggest that it may be a wise idea to get a dog, especially in families with children who suffer from anxiety. Researchers at Basset Medical Center in New York found that only 12 percent of children with a dog in the family suffered from anxiety or worry, compared with 21 percent of children in families without a dog.
Dog Mice Release Oxytocin
Playing and cuddling with a dog can release the care hormone oxytocin, a neurotransmitter that reduces stress and aggression and also lowers the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
The survey “Swedes and security 2017” is based on a survey conducted by Kantar Sifo on behalf of the alarm company Verisure with a random and nationally representative sample of people aged 18–74 who live in their own household. A total of 4,200 interviews were conducted with an even distribution in all of Sweden’s 21 counties. The survey was conducted during the period 25 September – 9 October 2017.