Dogs help owners be happier and healthier. Research shows having a dog makes people live longer, feel less stress, and experience fewer health issues.
Dogs help owners in multiple ways from assisting them to be more social to pushing them to be more physically active. They provide companionship and love.
Dogs make us happier and healthier. Research shows having a dog makes people live longer.
Canines also can provide vital tasks for humans ranging from acting as sight dogs for the visually impaired to securing our homes. They can alert us to seizures and other health conditions, and help find lost or injured people.
Dogs provide companionship
Over time, pets, and dogs, in particular, have become attuned to our feelings and thoughts. Of all pets, dogs have a greater grasp of the words, body language, and gestures we use.
Scientists agree that dog ownership has beneficial effects on stress, depression, and anxiety. In addition to this, our canine friends also ease loneliness and promote a healthier lifestyle through exercise.
Taking care of a pet is a great way to teach children about responsibility and taking care of animals.
The therapeutic effects of stroking or hugging dogs are extremely beneficial as this fulfills a basic human need for touch. This is particularly helpful to those with disabilities or the elderly who desire companionship and can crave the touch of another loving animal.
Dog ownership has specific, notable benefits on an owners health, including but not limited to:
- Pet owners have a lower blood pressure than those without pets.
- Depression is less prevalent among pet owners.
- Elderly pet owners make noticeably fewer visits to their doctors than those without.
- Dopamine and serotonin levels are increased, making pet owners calmer, more relaxed, and less stressed.
Dogs can help pet owners with their exercise routine.
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Returning the favor
Because dogs give so much, their owners need to give back by providing the best possible care.
Exercising your dog, whether you are running walking or just playing in the park, also improves your overall health and wellbeing by improving your physical fitness.
Scientific studies have provided strong evidence that dog owners are much more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements than none dog owners.
Additionally, not only is exercise beneficial physically for your dog, but the time spent together will undoubtedly make the bond between you and your pet stronger.
It is important to remember, though, that dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and there is no “one size fits all” exercise plan that works for all dogs. Exercising should be tailor-made to each dog as the physical size and ability of the dog in question will have a massive bearing on the type of exercise t.
Many dog breeds such as Boston Terriers, Shar Peis, and Pugs experience breathing difficulties and can struggle in the heat. Use less vigorous exercise routines for these particular breeds compared to plans for “working dog” breeds such as Border Collies or Alsatians.
Service dogs are trained to assist people who are visually impaired. Dogs also can be trained to help people with hearing loss or those who have dementia or autism.
Service Dogs
Individuals who have disabilities may have difficulty performing even the simplest of tasks from opening doors, crossing the road, or communicating with other people. Service dogs provide a massively important function for these individuals and can assist them in all facets of their daily life.
Service dogs come in many varieties, and each dog undertakes intensive, specialized training to make them competent and able to assist humans who struggle with different issues.
Diabetes Response Dogs, for instance, can sniff the handler’s breath for low blood sugar, can retrieve the phone, and can also carry objects such as juice bottles. The dog can also remind owners to take insulin. If the dog detects low or high blood pressure, they may react by;
- Jumping on the owner
- Sitting and staring at the owner
- Touching the owner on their nose
- Holding a particular toy as a signal
Specialized training
Hearing dogs can alert their handler to doorbells, smoke alarms, alarm clocks, approaching vehicles, and someone calling their handler’s name. Deafness can be an isolating and lonely disability. Hearings dogs can bring the hearing impaired both a sense of independence and companionship.
Training for hearing dogs can take over four months. This training covers sound work and tailored training to suit the needs of their trainer until they’re around 16 months old.
Individuals who suffer from severe mental impairment and have difficulty performing daily tasks may find having a Psychiatric Service Dog. These dogs are trained and assigned to a person with a mental disability who can become disorientated and get lost easily and may keep them from wandering off as well as being able to lead them home.
Many individuals who have dementia have found Dementia Assistance Dogs beneficial in improving their daily lives. These dogs can provide a level of comfort, companionship, and stability with those who have been diagnosed and may provide reassurance to carers as the Dementia progresses.
Seeing-eye dogs are trained to help navigate around obstacles to assist their handler. These individuals can suffer from varying ocular impairments from partial to complete blindness, and the level of assistance they receive will be different for each individual.
Search and Rescue
Search and Rescue dogs work in a variety of situations and can assist with everything from locating people after a natural disaster to cadaver search dogs and rescue and recovery situations. In the wilderness, air scenting dogs can be deployed to areas from the subject’s last known point or the site of a discovered clues.
These are just a few of the many types of service dogs there are, and as stated above, each role requires intense training and development for the dogs to be able to assist their owners effectively.
In addition to the incredible level of technical assistance service dogs can provide to us, just like our non-service dog friends, they also give us love and companionship.
Jack Campbell is the founder of Heelboyheel.com, a site dedicated to providing all dog enthusiasts with the latest guides, articles, and informative doggy product reviews.
5 ways dogs help improve the lives of people with mental illness
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