How a wagging tail and a brushstroke can calm your mind and lift your spirit.

5 Feel-Good Reasons Dogs and Art Make Life Better

Why borrow—or own—both a dog and a piece of art?Because each gives you something the other can’t, yet both make life richer.

I don’t currently have a dog of my own, but I’m quick to dog-sit my grand-dog, Ginger. Her visits come with a 6 a.m. wake-up call. She plops her head level with my pillow and waits—silently at first. If I don’t move, it’s a thunderous ruff and a slick lick on the cheek.

My face splits into a smile before I’m even fully awake.Unconditional love goes both ways.

Here are five uplifting reasons why dogs—and art—make life better.

1. Dogs and Art Make Memories

If you’ve ever had a dog, you can probably recall the exact year you brought that furry friend home—and the stories that followed.

Art does that too. One glance can pull you back to a favorite place: the scent of pines along your childhood trail, reminding you of a moment of calm.

2. They speak without words

A dog’s gaze says everything—adoration, comfort, forgiveness.

Art does too. A painting can whisper hope or sigh with longing without a single word.

Both remind us that feeling doesn’t need translation.

3. They calm the mind.

Science confirms it: petting a dog lowers blood pressure, slows the heart rate, and releases tension.

Gazing at art can do the same. Let your eyes rest on soft light filtering through birch trees or ripples across calm water.

Feel your breath match the rhythm of the scene.

4. They Make You Smile

Laughter is a natural energy booster.

I once had a puppy chew the handle of my vacuum cleaner beyond recognition. Every time I wrap a towel around it to use, I grin—and my chores suddenly feel lighter.

Art has the same effect. Color, movement, and beauty lift our energy in a single glance.

Laughing releases endorphins—our feel-good hormone.

5. They Chase Away the Blues

Dogs give us purpose—feeding, walking, loving them back. Art offers that same sense of meaning.

A radiant sunset can lift your spirit just as surely as a wagging tail.

Unconditional Love, Borrowed or Owned

I don’t currently have a dog, but I happily borrow my grand-dog, Ginger. Her 6 a.m. wake-up calls come with a cold nose and a kiss that melts any grogginess.Love goes both ways.

So if you don’t have a dog, borrow one. And if you haven’t lived with art yet—borrow that too.You’ll find joy waiting in both.

Want to borrow some art?

Email me with the word screensaver and I’ll send you a free digital image to bring calm to your day.

Related Article:

• 5 benefits of Laughter

• 10 Benefits of Art

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