March 6, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Breakfast With a Side of Oxytocin

Unfortunately, my hubs has a very stressful job. He also has trouble managing his stress. Rita apparently knows this, since she suddenly decided she should sit between us while we eat breakfast on the sofa in front of the news. (Sorry about the picture quality - took it with my iPad, shooting in to the light. Should know by now to always have the camera handy.)
Administering the proper dosage of oxytocin
She's supposed to be over on "her" side of the sofa, on her towel. But since the hubs can use a dose of oxytocin before work, I don't mind a little dog hair. (Besides, our house is practically covered in it anyway.) You can read about dogs and oxytocin here, but here's a key nugget: "Oxytocin, which is sometimes dubbed 'the cuddle hormone,' helps reduce blood pressure and decreases levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress and anxiety." Keep that stuff coming, Rita!

You might suspect that she only chose to sit there to have access to our breakfast of peanut butter toast and yogurt - but you'd actually be wrong. She's totally gone off peanut butter, and if I offer her a bite or my plate when I'm done with it, she turns her head and acts like I've put the most disgusting thing ever in front of her. As for the yogurt, she might lick a bit off a spoon when you're done, but she does NOT want to lick the cup. (She's so odd.)

Do you try to extract some cuddle hormone from your dog?

31 comments:

  1. I get a double dose everyday :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe we should reconsider adding another dog... more oxytocin to go around!

      Delete
  2. I can't wait until we can get our daily dose again! Cute pic of your family.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I get plenty of that too. Makes the day better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It does indeed! It's pathetic when he has to beg to come over and give him a dose though...

      Delete
  4. Men are sometimes not as good as women at asking for the help they need to get through stress. I'm glad Rita is willing to lend her services as stress-reducer without being asked. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So true! Yes, I guess Rita is pretty in tune to her Pop.

      Delete
  5. Jeffie, Rudy and Rosie want Rita to send her peanut butter and yogurt their way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to know there are proper dogs out there who love p.b. and yogurt! Rita is so odd sometimes...

      Delete
  6. Dogs are the only prescription medicines I've taken for years. And no side effects.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Good point - no side effects. (Except all that hair...)

      Delete
  7. We dogs are such great medicine!!! And I am with Rita...peanut butter is horrid. Can't stand the stuff. Disgusting!
    Oz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosh, Oz, I think you're the first dog besides Rita I've met that doesn't like p.b.

      I thought pups universally loved the stuff!

      Delete
  8. All the time, Boomer and Dottie are my cuddle buddies!

    Happy Wednesday!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very cute! How much bacon grease did you have to spread on Mike's shirt to get her to cuddle? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah... we admit... we are not above resorting to that. But amazingly, we haven't had to yet!

      Delete
  10. Aww how cute! I've use injectable oxytocin before... on a turtle so she'd lay her eggs that were stuck. Good to know it has more than one use ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow - who knew you could use it for such interesting things!

      Delete
  11. If you lived next door, I would be right over for some pooch smooches. Seriously, I did not know any of this. Thank you for sharing such a wonder story.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Most of the time but right now he is in the middle of one of his "bark fests" and I am contemplating going far, far away :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm, a bark fest probably has the opposite effect on stress levels. He's going to owe you some serious cuddling after!

      Delete
  13. I'm on a two-a-day dose minimum...with extras on an as-needed basis

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have to get my Max fix!!! He makes me smile everyday when the alarm goes off; what a great way to start the day - seeing Max's little face!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Our dogs would be all over that food and probably knock anyone in the way over to get to it. I guess that would defeat the benefits of cuddling, huh? lol

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great job Rita! Finn is a great dose of oxytocin - and he usually knows I need it before I do!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Rita is doing an awesome job with the cuddles!!

    My Mum is always sneaking an extra cuddle from me, even when I'm not in the mood - I do lots of cuddles on my therapy visits and everyone starts smiling!

    I know Mum's getting lots of cuddles from her little niece this week, so I'm giving all mine to Dad and the kids,

    Big Wags to all

    Your pal Snoopy :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. There is no power greater than a dog for soothing an over-taxed soul. I am so glad your husband can find comfort with Rita. Sometimes, I don't know how people get through without animals to help.

    I think the photo is adorable, light or no light.

    ReplyDelete

We love comments - even just a smiley face or a LOL will make my day. (Yes, my days are pretty easily made.)

PLEASE NOTE: Comment moderation is turned on for posts over 2 weeks old, so if you comment on an older post and don't see it show up right away, that's why.