Dogs are an Introvert's Best Friend
I’m not gonna lie, I love dogs. Anybody who knows me knows that I talk about them all the time and am easily distracted by them. I even ignore people and pay attention to the dogs. They are a passion for me. They’re always happy to see you and don’t require a lot of talking. They will lounge around with you, but also get you up and moving to take them outside.
A lot of times, dogs are portrayed as extroverts and cats are portrayed as introverts because dogs are outgoing and cats just want to be left alone most of the time. The thing is, though, dogs are an introvert’s best friend. I think I have more dog friends than I have human friends, and that’s not a bad thing.
Dogs are the perfect conversation starter. Whether it’s you or the other person that has the dog. I always ask, “Does your dog allow pets?” to get the conversation going. You don’t have to maintain eye contact with people as much when there’s a dog involved because you can look at and pet them instead of maintaining steady eye contact. You also only have to talk for a minute or two before they need to move on. Plus, the owner loves talking about their dog too!
If you’re the one with the dog, there are a lot of the same points that I made already, but the added bonus is that other people come up to you to talk instead of the other way around. If I want to socialize, I’ll take my dog out. It gives me the option to have these little interactions with other people without having to be too involved. You might even start recognizing people and start forming friendships.
It’s a great bonus when you need to go to a house party where there are dogs. They help you feel more relaxed and comfortable. You can pet the dog and ignore the people for a while. Having the dog there may help you stay longer too. You can distract yourself and still be involved in the party by spending time and taking care of the dog.
There are also many events that include dogs. Some of those include group dog walks, races for dogs, adoption events, charity events, outdoor restaurants that allow dogs, and much more. You usually don’t need to bring your own dog to these events either. You can start talking to people about the dogs and other things you have in common based on whatever the event is about. It helps you talk to more humans while the dogs give you an “in.”
Dogs are not draining for introverts and they can be the best of both worlds. They’re outgoing enough to love you and be around people if that’s the kind of dog they are. They just like to be around you and are loyal. My dog is my best friend because of this. In my mind, everyone should have a dog. I think we should all have relationships with more dogs, even if we don’t have one of our own and only see dogs once in a while. They are great companions and friends for us as introverts.