The dog that overcomes abuse thanks to a baby

If someone who doesn't know the Instagram account of @welletas, maybe you just see one of those cats and dogs in a family environment galleries that are so popular on the Internet.

However, the more than 116,000 followers of its owner, Elizabeth Spence, are not only due to the fact that her photos of pets and family are of very good quality (which they are).

His account is popular because there is a moving story in it that has been explained in the lines that accompany the images. The protagonists of it are the baby Archie and his dog, Nora.

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Nora, the dog marked by trauma

Some of the most frequent psychological disorders can subside and disappear at times simply with the company, support and affection of others. This is exactly what happened with the dog Nora.

This adorable animal came to Elizabeth Spence's family through adoption, since she had had other owners before. The relationship between Nora and her former owners was marked by violence and mistreatment

, which traumatized her deeply and made her start to be afraid of almost everything: objects pushed by the wind, other dogs, unknown places and, of course, beings humans.

Naturally, Elizabeth couldn't resort to words to try to calm her little dog. Unlike what would have happened if Nora were human, there was also no possibility of turning to a therapist who her to modify the ideas from which she interpreted the traumatic events that occurred, or to improve her self-esteem by questioning her beliefs. There was no abstract thought to fix, just pure emotion, to which she could not be reached by talking.

Fortunately, another family member was able to treat Nora as an equal, and establish an emotional connection with her through the simplest thing in the world: physical contact. It was Archie, who at that time had not completed the first year of his life.

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The bond between baby Archie and Nora

Archie, in his natural curiosity, soon took an interest in Nora. At first it was difficult to gather them in the same place, but the kind and calm nature of the baby she ended up convincing Nora that she was not in significant danger by her side.

The simplicity of Archie's touch, his movements and the calm he expressed began to act like a balm. In a short time, Archie went from being a threat to becoming an oasis of peace, one of the few available when everything scares you. The emotional bond that was created between the two became an anchor that Nora could begin to use so as not to lose touch with moments of well-being and tranquility.

Currently, Nora still has not been able to forget all the suffering that she had to live, and she does not act like a perfectly healthy dog ​​would. The fear is still there, lurking, and it appears in a disruptive way, taking away many of the moments that Nora would not want to part with. But Archie was and continues to be someone with whom Nora can be herself: in the affection that the little boy expresses, he recognizes himself as a being who is loved and who deserves to be.

The nature of affection between dogs and humans

This case is not the only one in which it is seen how the affection between dogs and humans can profoundly affect the emotional states of both species. For example, in an investigation it was shown that something as simple as look a dog in the eye for several seconds at a time is able to make the levels of oxytocin of this rises, which is very interesting, because this substance secreted by the body is considered the hormone of love and emotional bonds.

In general, in psychology it is established that the strongest and most fundamental attachment ties are not based on words or on the way in which we verbally explain what we feel. Something as simple as sleeping leaning on each other is worth more than a thousand praises and compliments and, although it may seem irrational, it can improve our state of mind much more if it is done by expressing honest emotions of dear.

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Physical contact is the first step of affection

If the story of Nora and Archie can teach us anything, it is that we must not forget the simplest resources to express affection, and use them without excuses. It is a habit that we should promote more, not only because it is pleasant, but because it is a way of making attachment really exist.

As much as we extol the rationality and intellectual character of our species, what really matters is beyond words. It is a language that we all understand, whether we are human or not; and that's for a reason.