The number of Koreans living with companion dogs has reached 10 million, which means that one out of every five Koreans is living with a companion dog. As new family members who bring comfort and alleviate loneliness, companion animals have become increasingly popular.

Almost everyone may have dreamed of having a companion animal. However, it is not inherently simple to keep a companion animal as it entails a lifelong responsibility. There are many things that you need to know to live with a companion animal.

GSEEK, together with Professor Lee Ung-jong, an expert on dog behavior modification, has prepared a lecture series on basic knowledge needed to live with companion animals.

Why don’t you visit GSEEK and meet Professor Lee before deciding to adopt a companion dog?

■ A Happy Life for Companion Dogs

Prof. Lee Ung-jong (right) delivers a lecture titled “A Happy Life for Your Companion Dogs” with comedian and host Sim Jae-uk.ⓒ Gyeonggi G News

A white Great Pyrenees named Sanggeuni once appeared on the KBS entertainment show One Night and Two Days and gained tremendous popularity. With this popularity, the Great Pyrenees became the most popular dog breed among those who wanted to adopt a dog. Sadly, as the program’s season came to an end and some time passed, the breed was listed as the breed most abandoned.

Professor Lee said, “When you adopt a dog, you should not make an impulsive choice. You have to do your research on the nature of the breed that you want and the environment that it needs before making any decisions.”

“Great Pyrenees are very difficult to keep owing to their very thick fur that needs a great amount of care. Beagles or Schnauzers need to exercise more than other breeds, so it is better not to adopt them unless you can provide an environment in which they can run and play outdoors every day,” he added.

Professor Lee is currently a professor of animal protection at Yonam University in Cheonan and a representative of the Korean Companion Animal Culture Federation. He conducts a lecture series titled “A Happy Life for Your Companion Dogs” through GSEEK.

In his first lecture, Professor Lee lays out the mindset one must have for keeping a companion dog, things to consider when adopting, and things that dogs can and cannot eat.

From the second to ninth lectures, participants learn how to choose a dog and prepare for the first meeting along with various basic dog obedience training skills and know-how for living with and taking care of old dogs. The lectures also provide useful information on companion animals and related information on dogs that will enhance an understanding of companion animals.

Professor Lee said, “It is not an option but a necessity to participate in a program or follow a course on companion animal care and management in advance.”

If you are thinking about adopting a companion animal as a new family member, how about sparing a little time to prepare yourself with this education program offered by GSEEK, following the heartfelt advice of Professor Lee?

■ Wound Healing with Companion Dogs

The lecture series “Wound Healing with Companion Dogs (animal-assisted activity)” is offered by Professor Lee Ung-jong and Lee Yu-gyeong, the director of the Lee Ung-jong Animal Assisted Therapy Center. ⓒ Gyeonggi G News

Emotional interactions with animals have a positive effect on humans, and this may be the biggest reason for which people want to be with companion animals. Animal-assisted activity (AAT) maximizes these interactions.

“AAT is an activity in which people and animals play together to give pleasure and psychological stability to one another. In other words, it is a form of communication between people and animals through interaction,” says Director Lee, the lecturer of this program, defining the meaning of AAT.

Director Lee will deliver the first three lectures which will deal with the differences between animal-assisted activity and animal-assisted therapy, types of the AAT, based on actual cases of AAT and healing.

From the fourth lecture, Professor Lee will demonstrate various animal assisted activities with his dogs. ⓒ Gyeonggi G News

From the fourth session, the lectures take place outdoors; Professor Lee, the co-lecturer of this program will demonstrate AAT with his dogs. He will explain various types of AAT dependent on the indications and effects of each activity with lively demonstrations.

The lecture series on AAT, consisting of theoretical understanding with Director Lee and practice with Professor Lee, includes a total of 10 lectures. In addition to theoretical knowledge about AAT, participants can also learn more about AAT for the treatment of ADHD, game addiction, depression, and social phobias, and for senior citizens living alone.