Dogs and Mental Health What You Need To Know

There are many connections between dogs and mental health, here's the best 5.

There is a relationship between our dogs and mental health. Picture this...

You’ve put in a long, stressful day at work.
You’re tired and ready to relax.
You open the door and the world changes instantly.
Your overexcited four-legged furry friend greets you and your face instantly bursts into a smile.
There is nothing better than the unbridled devotion of a pet. 

This unfiltered expression of love and companionship can have amazing and compounding effect on your health and well-being.

We love our pets, in fact more than 65 percent of homes include a furry companion.
Dogs and cats make up the largest proportion of domestic pets.
With more and more of us living alone, it’s not surprising that pets are becoming an important part of our lives.
And, as a bonus, our furry friends can also teach us a lot about compassion, unconditional love. Their presence can result in a positive effect on our health and well-being.

Let’s have a look at some of these benefits.

1. Stronger relationships and social skills

As pet owners, we all know the special bond we have with fluffy friends.
But, did you know that more than 66 percent of dog owners and 56 percent of cat owners include their pet as a part of the family?
Studies have also shown that pet ownership can improve our social skills. This has shown to have a positive effect on other relationships as well.

Who’d have thought!

Also, there is clear evidence that people with pets have more solid romantic relationships and their overall relationship quality is better than non-pet owners.
The community also benefits from pet ownership.
Studies have proven that people who care for animals are more likely to be in a leadership position and have a greater involvement in community activities.
An improvement in social skills is another well reported benefit of pet ownership.

Similar studies have shown that confidence and empathy in adulthood has a clear correlation to contact with pets during adolescence.

Autism is another area where pet ownership may be beneficial.

Children with autism often struggle with social relationships and research has shown that a household pet can improve a child’s confidence and assertiveness.
More generally, data has shown that any type of pet in the home can improve behavior in children. Responding to people’s questions, asking for information and feeling confident to introduce themselves are all areas where children who are exposed to pets are more likely to engage.

2. Improved mental health

Depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are the most common forms of mental illness, but you might be surprised to know that it is estimated that 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. is affected.
Although having a pet cannot cure mental illness, studies suggest that it could certainly help.
It has been shown that people have a greater sense of control and a feeling of security if they have a pet. It’s also been shown that of people with severe mental illness, 60 percent say that having a pet was a very important part of managing their condition.
Moreover, the study found that participants with pets reported a greater sense of control, as well as a greater feeling of security and routine.

Many businesses and organisations use animals to assist with the treatment of depression as well as other mental conditions.
Anxiety is another area where pets can have a positive effect.
Having a dog can help motivate you to exercise more and get out into the fresh air. A dog will always put a smile on your face and brings you laughter like nothing else you’ve experienced before. This combined with the unconditional love only a pet can bring to your life can help make anxiety and depression a part of your past.

3. Lower risk of allergies

Are you one of the estimated 50 million people in the U.S. who have nasal allergies?
These are most often caused by pet dander.
Here’s the great news! It might surprise you that pets can actually lower the risk of developing these allergies
A 2015 Medical News Today study has shown exposure to dogs and farm animals in early life can lower the risk of asthma development by school age.
It’s also been shown that children who have been exposed to household pets prior to birth and in their early months of childhood experienced changes in stomach bacteria associated with childhood allergies.
These studies support the theory that greater exposure to pathogens and potential allergens at an early age can strengthen the immune system. This may also increase tolerance to allergies in later life.
Another great reason having a pet can be good for you and your children.