A university called Chapman U organizes and program called “Furry Friends for Finals” in which students can pet one of ten puppies stationed outside the library the week before exams as a means to de-stress.
Petting and playing with puppies has shown to increase levels of “feel-good” hormones serotonin and dopamine, which can help reduce stress levels and help improve memory and concentration.
Dog domestication began approximately 15,000 years ago, according to fossil records. By living with humans they benefited from our up-right gait, colour vision and use of tools, which ensured that they had readily-available food. Humans benefited from the protection, warmth, sense of smell and acute hearing that came with dog companionship. Here are some modern-day reasons why living among our furry, canine friends may be healthier than switching to gluten-free bread!
Chronic disease management:
Current research suggests that dogs have a beneficial effect on improving social behaviour and minimizing agitation and anxiety in people with dementia. Hospital visits from a “Therapy dog” animate patients, helping them become more active and responsive while offering them a welcome distraction from pain or loneliness.
Loyola university researchers found that people who regularly petted dogs needed 50% less pain medication when recovering from surgery. Owning a dog or undergoing “pet therapy” is being studied for people suffering from fibromyalgia.
A study from the National Institutes of Health found dog owners had a better one-year survival rate following a heart attack than non-dog owners. Male pet owners have less signs of heart disease – indicated by lower triglyceride and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels – than non-owners. Studies show that the mere act of petting a dog decreases blood pressure. In one study, stockbrokers with high blood pressure who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than people without pets.
Elderly dog owners require 20% less medical care than non-dog owners, according to a study at UCLA. Walking a dog or just caring for a pet can provide exercise and companionship. Midland Life Insurance Company, in the United States, asks clients over age 75 if they have a pet as part of their medical screening. Having a pet reduces the amount of health insurance they may have to pay. For us Canadians this may be a way to reduce provincial health care costs.
Improving physical fitness and helping reach fitness goals:
The Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that dog owners are more likely to reach their fitness goals than those without canine companions. Researchers at Michigan State University found that dog owners are 34 percent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week (the recommended amount of physical activity for adults in Canada) than non-dog owners. The study also found that owning a pet dog promotes health and fitness even after you take your pup for a stroll, increasing leisure-time physical activity by 69%.
A Univeristy of Missouri study found that walking with a puppy leads to a 28% increase in walking speed, compared to only a 4% increase when walking with a human buddy. Not only are dog walkers getting more exercise, they’re getting better quality exercise (walking faster and possibly covering more mileage), than people who simply walk or run on their own. Dog walkers are also more likely to stick to their fitness plans than those who walk with other humans or alone.
Dog-owning families often promote physical activity within the household, shows a study from the Univeristy of Virginia, which found that teens from dog-owning families are more physically active than teens whose families don’t own a pet dog. With rising rates of childhood obesity, owning a dog might give kids incentive to get out of the house and spend more time outside, leading to better fitness levels – thereby lowering the incidence of disease – later in life.
Preventing chronic disease:
Dog owners who walk their dogs regularly have one-third the risk of diabetes than those who don’t own a dog, according to exercise scientist, Cindy Lentino. This statistic highlights the importance of maintaining physical activity levels and controlling stress levels as a means of preventing the occurrence of type II diabetes, rather than just a focusing on diet as the sole “root cause”.
Dogs prevent autoimmune disease and allergies in children. Researchers at the University of Cinncinati College of Medicine found that children from families with a history of allergies are less likely to develop eczema and asthma (atopy) if they grow up with a pet dog starting at birth. If we consider that animals are typically “dirtier” than humans, this research fits with the Hygiene Hypothesis, which states that the more dirt kids are exposed to, the less likely they are to suffer from autoimmune diseases and allergies in childhood.
Improving mental health and social relationships:
Researchers at Cental Michigan University found that when a dog is present in a collaborative group setting, group members rank their teammates higher in terms of trust, team cohesion and intimacy.
Being close with a dog helps improve human relationships. Studies find that owning and walking a dog increases social interaction. Dogs help ease people out of social isolation or shyness says Nadine Kaslow, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University in Atlanta.
Children who experience caring for a dog have higher levels of empathy and self-esteem than children without pet dogs, shows child psychologist Robert Bierer.
Children who practice reading to a dog see a 12% improvement in reading skills over a 10-week period when compared to children who didn’t read to a dog (who showed no improvement).
Pet owners with AIDS are far less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets. “The benefit is especially pronounced when people are strongly attached to their pets,” says researcher Judith Siegel, PhD. Petting and playing with a dog has shown to increase levels of serotonin and dopamine.
According to these statistics, owning a pet may be healthier than the kale-quinoa salad you just had. No wonder I spent my childhood begging my parents for a dog!
All that’s left now is to convince the CCNM admin to let us keep puppies in the library during exams!
Read about how my dog, Coco, helps me get in touch with the vis and experience nature cure.
*This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or prevent disease and does not replace the advice of a trained medical professional.
