Modern life is hectic, stressful and dominated by screens. But the companionship of a pet can be just the thing to reconnect you to what’s important. It was for me…
I’m convinced that growing up in the 21st century means gradually losing your connection to nature and those around you.
It happens right under your nose; weekends spent visiting National Trust properties or cycling in the forest with family are replaced by afternoons alone binging Netflix or doing work that has spilled over from the week. My sisters and I used to prance around the forest and play make believe with fallen branches, but as we got older, the four-year age gap became starker, and we preferred to watch our own tv shows or scroll on social media alone in our own rooms.
Then came 2020. Being indoors 24/7 reminded me that being deprived of nature has a negative impact on both your mental and physical health. It didn’t help that spending all day everyday with my family meant we were arguing non-stop. The desire to get out into nature – or really just out of the house – arrived with a vengeance.
“Getting out of the house for some fresh air and a walk is no longer a chore; it’s an adventure.”
As restrictions eased that summer, my family and I decided (along with 3.2 million other UK households) to get a dog. We decided it would help us get out of the house more, and we now had ample time to look after and train a puppy.
Hunter joined our family on 15 August 2020, and quickly became the centre of everyone’s attention. With his silky, jet-black fur and his soulful brown eyes, he took over every conversation, every family gathering, every inch of our lives.
Walks into local forestries and green spaces became a daily occurrence, and I found myself discovering places in my local area that I’d never seen before, despite having lived there forever.
Aside from Hunter having the time of his life, these forays into the natural world were also extremely beneficial for me. I had felt severed from nature, but these walks allowed me to appreciate it through a dog’s lens. Walking in the woods became a way to reconnect with the world around me – I noticed the birdsong, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the smell of grass after rain. All of this did wonders for my mental health – which had rapidly declined as I, like many others, became addicted to scrolling onTikTok. The walks forced me off screens and into the real world, which was just as rich and colourful as I remembered it being in my childhood. I was able to replace scrolling hours with a more meaningful activity.
“I had felt severed from nature, but these walks allowed me to appreciate it through a dog’s lens.”
But nature wasn’t the only thing Hunter helped me reconnect with. Dog walks forced me and my sisters to talk with no distractions. We bonded over our shared duty of care, and instead of watching separate tv shows alone, the three of us would watch movies together, piled up on the sofa with Hunter stretched out across our laps.
Moving back home after four years of university, my weekends have started to look like they did when I was a child, but now with a new furry companion. My sisters and I don’t need an excuse to hang out now, but we still enjoy a good gossip in the fields while Hunter bounds on ahead.
Getting out of the house for some fresh air and a walk is no longer a chore; it’s an adventure. I can play make believe again, pretending me and my noble canine friend are on an epic quest through the woods. I’m fitter, happier, and closer to my family than ever before.
As I write this, Hunter snores gently from his favourite spot on the sofa. He is wiped out after a long walk, and blissfully unaware of how much good he has done for me and my family.