Why we love dogs— and they love us back

from Harvard Thinking · host Samantha Laine Perfas, Alice Hoffman, Beth Frates, Erin Hecht

Just under half of households in the U.S. own dogs and say they view their dogs as members of their family. The love goes both ways. Dogs depend on us for their survival, just as humans benefit from their presence. Research shows that having a furry companion is good for us physically, emotionally, some might even say spiritually. In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas talks with bestselling author Alice Hoffman, lifestyle medicine expert Beth Frates, and evolutionary biologist Erin Hecht about why we love dogs so much – and why they love us back.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 29, 2026

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Why we love dogs— and they love us back

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