A feature post written by Dog Mom, Breanna A.of SpaDog
Have you ever looked at a dog and instantly felt better? What about after cuddling with one? Dogs are a gift to every person they encounter, and it’s not just for their adorable looks. The truth is, there’s scientific evidence that the presence of a dog can help heal humans in a variety of ways. Whether you own one yourself or have a dog of a friend you’re thinking of while reading this, chances are they’ve
helped you heal one way or another. How a dog can help you heal depends on what your mind, body, or soul is yearning for. Here are some common ways dogs help heal humans.
Lower Stress
One of a dog’s famous qualities is its ability to lower our stress levels just by touch alone. Petting and cuddling with a dog releases oxytocin, which triggers feelings of love and protection. The reduction of stress hormones allows us to regulate our breathing and lower our blood pressure. This can all contribute to a healthier heart! So if you’re feeling stressed, just find a friendly dog to pet or cuddle for a few minutes and watch your troubles melt away.
Keep Us Active
Studies show that dog owners are more active than those who don’t own dogs. This can be as simple as the potty breaks dogs require and the frequent park visits and walks they crave. Owning a dog can be very beneficial for the colder months, which often ignite seasonal depression in many of us. When we have a dog holding us accountable for their wellbeing, we are forced to be more physically active ourselves. Physical activity is a great way to work through dark feelings, even when it’s cold outside. So in the end, owning a dog is a great way to stay in shape both mentally and physically!
Help Us Connect To Others
If there’s one thing dog owners can agree on, it’s that they love to talk about their dogs! Having a dog is a great ice breaker when trying to be more social. Talking with other dog owners is a great way to gain and share insight to learn or teach helpful tips to better care for a dog. Whether you’re just taking a walk or visiting the park, dog lovers tend to gravitate toward other dog lovers.
Create Deeper Understanding
Owning a dog often encourages us to think about someone other than ourselves, which helps us get out of our own heads. Along with guiding us to consider others, dogs tend to be perfect reflections of their owners. When a dog picks up on the personality of their owner, it can be a great way for the owner to check in with themself. If your dog is acting moody, maybe you are too. When we can check in with how we’re feeling, we can better assist a dog through whatever emotions they may be feeling too. This deeper understanding of the connection between us and dogs also paves the way to better understand how we’re all connected in general. We should act as if every person is reflecting ourselves, which helps us to live kinder and more understanding lives.
Provide Safety
A dog’s healing power goes above and beyond what we’re even aware of. Dogs have stronger senses, which allows them to sniff, see, or hear danger we may not have seen coming. This can be said about both health issues and even dangerous situations. Dogs can be trained to sniff our cancers and other medical concerns. Their saliva has healing properties of its own. They like to lick their own wounds to heal and studies show dog saliva has healing properties that work for wounds on humans too!
We hope this article helped you develop a deeper appreciation for dogs and their many healing abilities. It’s important to provide proper food, exercise, affection, and stimulation to dogs to keep their healing powers strong. Taking care of a dog can not only help you feel good about yourself, it can quite literally help you become a better person! Check in with SpaDog weekly for more tips and tricks on how to safely spoil your dog!
Thank you Breanna A. for sharing this informative post with us! If you’d like your story featured or are interested in sharing a post, please contact us at info.theblogofadog@gmail.com.
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