We all know that it can be joyful to have a pet in your home, especially around kids, and there are many proven benefits of keeping a dog. Besides the entertainment, there are some proven advantages for mental health as well. Today, we have professional trainers for therapy dogs who can help people with various health issues. It can be especially beneficial for people suffering from stress or some trauma since it is proven that interaction with animals can help us to feel more relaxed. The most common types of therapy dogs are for emotional support and assistance.
You can learn more about these dogs, the most popular breeds, and all of the advantages of having them.
Depression and anxiety represent a big issue in modern society, and it is affected by the urban way of living, which is full of various challenges. Even though we can use technology to communicate with more people, it seems like we are getting more distant from each other. Also, some people don’t have developed social skills and it is harder for them to get along with various situations on both private and professional plans.
You can benefit from your pet as well, even if it is not trained to be a therapy dog. It is scientifically proven that the main health benefits of having a pet are related to an improved cardiovascular system, lower blood pressure, amusement, and more. Moreover, you can even train your dog to become able to help others as well. Any dog breed can be trained for this matter, but it will take around two years for this process. That is the main reason why people are renting therapy dogs so much. Here are the main benefits of having a therapy dog for your mental and physical health.
1. Helps People with Depression
As we already mentioned, depression and some other mental issues represent a big problem today, and there is an increase in patients each year. Only in the United States, over 40 million people are suffering from it. While visiting a professional therapist and becoming more social are excellent ways to deal with it, keeping a dog is also a great way to fight against this issue. Also, there are many activities that you will have to do with your dog that can improve your mood and help you to feel less depressed, such as the increased exercise since you will have to walk the dog every day.
Furthermore, it is easier to communicate with others when you have a pet. You can visit some local parks where others are also taking their dogs for a walk, and you will see how easy it gets to start talking with other people. Moreover, these dogs are trained to show appreciation and affection which can help people to feel more worthy.
2. You Can Feel Less Lonely
Loneliness is one of the factors that can cause anxiety and depression. Even if you don’t have a trained pet, taking care of someone every day is a great way to feel better and dogs are perfect for that matter. You can play with them and take them for a walk. Since they are so entertaining, you can forget about any of your challenges when you have a playful pet around you who always seeks attention.
3. Lower Blood Pressure
Besides the benefits for mental health, there are also a lot of ways where keeping a dog can help you to be more physically healthy as well. For instance, it can help you to lower your blood pressure. Various factors could affect your heart and vessels, like being under constant stress or having a lack of physical activity, along with a poor diet plan. By keeping a dog, you can be more active and have a better mood, which is directly related to the cardiovascular system. Nevertheless, we have to mention the fact that playing with a dog emphasizes the release of oxytocin.
4. It Can Reduce Anxiety
Anxiety disorder is another serious problem for many people today, and this is an excellent option that will help you to feel more worthy and improve your social skills. We have already mentioned that it is much easier to meet new people while walking the dog because people adore these animals. You can simply go out for a walk and there is a great chance that someone with the approach you only to pet your dog. This will help you to feel much better immediately.
5. People with Special Needs
Service and therapy dogs are used for a long time to help people with more serious health issues. Guide dogs for blind people are a well-known option, but there are other types of assistance as well. For example, it is advised for people with dementia to have a therapy dog since it can help them to go for a walk without the risk to get lost and to help them to be more social with other people. Moreover, people who are dealing with addictions can also benefit from it since it can help them to feel more relaxed and motivated.
The Bottom Line
With all of these advantages, it is not a surprise that we can find therapy dogs in schools, hospitals, and other institutions. It can be very important for people n large cities to keep a pet in their apartment, especially if they are having issues with getting along with others and poor communication skills. Also, it is recommended for older people to have a dog since it will help them to feel less lonely. There is a big community of people who prefer dogs in every city, which means that you can meet a lot of new people there. The fact that you will need to take care of someone can directly improve your mood and help you to deal with all sorts of challenges you are currently having in your
