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How Dogs Can Help With Anxiety, Stress and Depression

For many pet parents, their furry companions are their ultimate source of happiness. It isn’t uncommon for dog-owners to go on and on about the joy their pups bring into their lives. While anecdotal evidence suggests that dogs can improve your mood, scientific research backs up these claims further by proving the vast amount of positives they provide to our mental health.

5 Ways Dogs Help Our Mental Health

Here are 5 benefits a dog can provide a patient who is experiencing mental health symptoms.

1. Dogs Can Provide Emotional Support

Most dog-owners perceive the act of bonding with their pets as unconditional and thus wholly reliable. People who experience symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, and loneliness may have a hard time opening up to others, but dogs provide endless emotional support. Dogs won’t judge or criticize you, regardless of how you’re feeling or reacting.

What’s more, stroking your dog’s fur, listening to their breath, and feeling their body temperature provides emotional relief and stimuli, which is hard to receive as you’re battling a mental illness.

While any dog can help with anxiety, stress, and depression, emotional support animals (ESA’s) can provide support and companionship to a more extended degree. Whereas your dog may be denied entry on a plane or living accommodations, ESAs receive special privileges and can accompany you throughout your daily life. For more information on ESAs, visit CertaPet.com.

2. Dogs Can Reduce Loneliness and Stress

Petting your dog provides more than just emotional support; it also plays a role in stress management. Oxytocin, the hormone that regulates stress levels, is produced through repetitive motion because it induces a sense of calm.

This hormone is also integral in fighting physical pain, which may arise from frequent or prolonged bouts of depression, stress, or anxiety.

If you lower your stress level, you’ll eventually promote growth and healing in your body. Calmness can also stimulate positive social interactions, expanding your circle of friends.

3. Dogs Can Help Build a Routine

Everyone needs a stable daily routine for the benefit of their mental health, but it’s incredibly difficult to start building one when you feel so awful. However, your dog can help you rebuild a routine.

Since your dog relies on you to be fed, walked, and played with, they will notify you if you aren’t fulfilling their needs. Once you start fulfilling theirs, you can start fulfilling your own.

Introducing a dog into your life can quicken your recovery and help you keep track of a daily schedule. Still, you need to make sure you’re prepared for this responsibility beforehand.

4. Dogs Can Encourage Movement and Exercise

People who suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression are told to stay active by exercising. Having a dog increases the likelihood that you’ll take them out for walks, playtime, and dog parks.

Depression can quickly sap your energy and make you feel lethargic, but your pup will always want to stay engaged with you by encouraging movement, play, and exercise.

With prolonged exercise and exposure to society, depressed, stressed, and anxious individuals will start to recover faster, and in turn, will want to leave their house more frequently.

5. Dogs Will Grow Your Social Circle

As humans, we need social support from our friends, family, and spouse. Unfortunately, mental illness can make us feel cut-off from the world and reclusive, which causes us to interact with new people less and less.

When you adopt a dog, you become a social magnet. After your first walk around the block, you’ll quickly see how popular you and your dog are with others.

New social interactions can enhance your sense of well-being and belonging. Plus, you can practice speaking to different people, which could help you develop new social connections.

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When Your Pets Become Your Best Friends

I never thought I could love two things that would also annoy me but being such joy in my life. My boyfriend got a dog named Mookie and I have a cat named Mac and they are both helping me heal in life so much. They can be quite the handful but they are at the end of my day, my babies!!

Let me tell you why pets are important: they keep you sane and don’t judge you. They give you unconditional love. They snuggle with you and will play with you. They make bad days better. They are cute and they are so lovable.

Mac the cat is a friendly cat and loves to sit next to you. He enjoys cuddling as well and loves to sit on me and inconvenient times such as when I’m doing homework!! Mookie is a hyper dog and is such a people person. He can be a bad dog when goes to the bathroom in the house but he’s learning to sit and give paw at least!

Anyone with pets would probably be happier as science or the news says. The reason why pets are so important is that in today’s pandemic and stressful world they really do make the darkest of days better

How Owning A Dog Can Benefit Your Relationships

Owning a dog will, without a doubt, improve your life. But, it’s important to know that bringing a dog into your home is a big responsibility. Unlike other pets, such as cats, dogs require a lot more attention.

Dogs will become a member of your family. They will also require a lot of attention. They will also remain fun and playful for their entire lives. Having a dog is essentially like having a permanent toddler in your home.

So, can something like this have an impact on your relationships? It can, but in some amazing ways. Here are all the best ways owning a dog can benefit your relationships.

Family Relationships

There are many benefits of owning a dog. And you might be wondering how owning a dog can benefit your relationship with your partner. (And don’t worry, this is covered below). But one of the best is a closer relationship with your family members.

One of the most commonly discussed benefits is a greater understanding of responsibility. This is especially the case with children caring for family pets. But a dog will become a center point of your family unit.

You can take walks together, play with your new pup together, and bond over your love for them. Dogs can help family members bond more closely. This can simply be by going for a walk together.

You might not normally spend time just walking and talking with members of your family. But this will be the perfect opportunity to spend more quality time together.

Romantic Relationships

If you are wondering whether to have a baby, a common suggestion is to adopt or buy a dog first. This will give you the opportunity to learn more responsibility as an adult.

It will also give you an excellent insight into your partner. You will be able to see how they react when your dog needs taking care of. As well as in moments of stress and crisis if your dog ever becomes ill.

One of the best moments will be catching your partner and your dog snuggled up together on the couch. It will be an amazing way to see just how caring and loving your partner can be. It can definitely bring you closer and make you stronger as a couple.

Owning a dog is always a big responsibility and commitment. But especially when you choose to adopt or buy a dog with another person. You are committing your time, affection, and funds to the dog. But you are also committing yourself to the other person.

It might sound like a downer, but it’s important to consider that one of you will likely keep the dog if you ever break up. (Unless you decide to share custody, of course.)

It can also help you to understand your partner better. How do they respond when they think you’re paying more attention to the dog? Some partners can become jealous of the attention you give your dog. Or jealous of the bond you have with them.

This is an issue that might be surprising but isn’t uncommon. Owning a dog can give you an excellent insight into how your partner views your relationship.

Friendships

A dog is also a great way to strengthen friendships. It can even be a way to make friends. Your dog will, of course, become one of your best friends. (As the saying goes.) But you will also be able to meet people and become friends at the dog park.

Dogs are amazing for you and your long-term health and happiness. And so are strong friendships and social interactions. Your precious pup can help you with both of these. Owning a dog can, unarguably, be an all-round great thing.

If you struggle to speak with people normally, a dog can be a great distraction. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can fuss and pet your dog while talking to someone else.

This can be especially useful if you need to talk about something important. But are feeling too nervous or are averse to conflict. Dogs can also help as simply interacting with a dog can reduce stress levels. Because who can be angry and argumentative when around a dog?

Conclusion

Owning a dog is a serious commitment. It might not be quite as serious as raising a child (fortunately, you won’t have to teach them how to read or feed themselves). But they are absolutely worth it. As they can bring you better, stronger, and healthier relationships.

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