Can Dogs Help People Reduce Stress?

When that tail starts waging, a million-watt smile immediately starts to form on my face. That unconditional love that dogs give off is contagious. Dogs don’t judge us, they don’t care that you got fired or if your car got a flat. All they care about is showing us love. When I get home from work and see the dogs waiting for me, I instantly feel the stress start slipping away.

Can Dogs Help People Reduce Stress?

When humans pet a dog it triggers the release of the bonding hormone oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. Bonding with a canine can also lower your blood pressure and heart rate. Studies have shown that playing with or petting an animal can decrease the production of the stress hormone cortisol. Studies have also shown that:

• People with dogs have lower blood pressure during stressful situations than those without pets. 

• Playing with a dog or cat can raise levels of dopamine and serotonin, both of which are linked to happiness.

• Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.

• Heart attack patients with dogs survived longer than heart attack patients without dogs. 

• Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.

• People over age 65 who own a pet make 30% fewer visits to the doctor compared to non-pet owners. 

If you’re a pet owner then you probably know your dog boosts your mood, but do they really relieve stress? A study published in Scientific America determined that people that were close to animals or thinking about their pets performed better in stressful situations than those without pets. (source)

Dogs Help Lower Blood Pressure

Dr. Alan M. Beck is the Director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Becks’ research confirms that petting a dog or cat or simply being in their presence is positively correlated with a drop in blood pressure.

My father has a home blood pressure machine. Myself and both my parents have taken a reading…then brought the dogs into the room, pet them for a few minutes, and taken another reading. All 3 of us had lower readings the second time. I know this is anecdotal evidence but the numbers don’t lie.

Dogs Make Us Feel Less Lonely

Human beings are social creatures. We crave affection, attention, and attraction. Animals can provide us with companionship which makes us feel less lonely. This positive loving relationship benefits both you and your dog.

Having my dog with me always makes me feel more loved and happy. They truly do provide companionship and unconditional love all day. When I pet my dog first thing in the morning it helps set a positive tone for the day.

Dogs aren’t worried about being late for work, or the kids making a mess in the kitchen, they simply are happy to be there. We can learn a lot from our pets. Enjoying the present is a huge way to relieve stress and anxiety. Most anxiety is caused by thinking about future events that haven’t even happened yet. Dogs don’t do this. (I don’t think they have the ability to think too far ahead, Good for them, I wish I could do that).

It doesn’t;t matter what time it is when My dog sees me they are happy and they focus on me and the resent moment. When I can do the same thing back to them, all the anxiety and stress of the day seem to instantly melt away. I’m truly in the present moment, anxiety-free, enjoying their companionship. 

Dogs Motivate Us To Exercise

Multiple studies have shown that dog owners on average, get more exercise than non-dog owners.  Having a dog has been linked to increased exercise…exercise has been proven to help reduce stress and increase endorphins. Endorphins are one of the feel-good chemicals in our brains.

Your dog has to pee right… that’s a perfect excuse to get off the couch and walk your dog around the block. I can be a lazy bum sometimes. I just want to lay in bed and watch Netflix. Then I hear a tail start waging against the floor telling me ” Hey Get Up And Take Me Out, You BUM”.

The combination of my dog and exercise at the same time is the ultimate stress reliever. Whenever I’m stressed out I take Gemma, my Pit-bull Mix, for a long walk. Not only am I getting exercise for myself and the dog, but I have a chance to clear my head in the process.

What Is The Difference Between Therapy Dogs And Service Dogs?

Therapy dogs and service dogs are both used to provide some form of help to humans. Therapy dogs are encouraged to roam and seek affection from people around them. Service dogs typically aren’t supposed to be pet by people other than their handler. Petting the dog may distract them from the task they were trained for. Their training differs and what breeds are chosen usually varies depending on which specific job the dog is trained for. I will explain the main differences between therapy dogs and service Dogs and who typically use them.

Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs’ responsibilities are to provide psychological or physiological therapy to individuals other than their handlers. They are typically used to provide comfort, love, and affection to people in nursing homes, hospice centers, hospitals, disaster areas, and schools. Any dog can provide love and comfort, but therapy dogs are specially trained to provide lots of love and affection. Therapy dogs can be trained by just about anyone, but they must meet certain standards to be certified and participate in different programs.

I used to bring my dogs to the Jewish Home which is a nursing home in Rochester NY. My grandfather was there for 8 years. The atmosphere would instantly change when Morgan and Gemma’s wet snouts would start searching around the room for a loving hand to scratch their head. Most of the residents would ask to pet them which would always result in a smile. Even the people who didn’t want to meet the dogs had a smile on their faces. The love and comfort dogs provide us truly is contagious.

Service Dogs 

Service dogs are trained to perform a specific task or duty that helps ease their handlers’ disabilities. Training often includes the person with a disability so they can learn to work as a team. Service dogs provide people with disabilities independence and freedom. This can boost self-esteem and help reduce stress. In most cases, there’s a no petting policy for service dogs. This is to allow the dog to concentrate on their task and help their handler.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the rights of people with disabilities to be accompanied by their service dogs in public places such as malls, restaurants, and places of employment.

Laws regarding service dogs and therapy dogs have been a topic of debate in recent years. Service Dogs have more legal protections than Therapy Dogs. There have been multiple stories regarding people trying to bring their service animal or therapy animal on a plane, and having trouble. Make sure you check local and state laws before bringing your service or therapy animals to certain public settings, especially when traveling.

One story that made me laugh was a lady who tried to bring her service peacock on a plane with her. Not underneath in the baggage compartment but right at the seat with her. I’m not here to judge whether the animal really helped her or not, but I do agree that a peacock in the cabin of a plane would be a major distraction for all the other passengers.

Related Questions

Can You Get A Service Dog For Anxiety? Yes. Just like standard service dogs, psychiatric service dogs assist a person with a mental health disorder or disability. Psychiatric service dogs can be trained to:

• Bring medication or water during an anxiety attack
• providing pressure against your chest or abdomen to create a calming effect during moments of distress
• Bring help if you are in an emotional crisis
• Lick or rub their owner to distract them during an anxiety disorder
• Bring you a phone during an anxiety attack

How Can I Qualify For An Emotional Support Animal? If you have an emotional disability, you can legally qualify for an Emotional Support Animal. You must be certified as emotionally disabled by a psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist or other duly-licensed and/or certified mental health professional.

Sources:

1. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pets-help-us-achieve-goals-and-redu/
2. https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/how-to-qualify-for-an-emotional-support-animal/
3. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/mood-boosting-power-of-dogs.htm