Dogs have long been considered ‘Man’s Best Friend’ due to their loyal companionship. However, canines also offer the answer to better health. Whether acting as service companions to aid the health of their owners, helping destress colleagues at work, or assisting autistic children, canines are incredible animals.
Acts of Service
Service pets are indeed a health aid supporting many around the globe. From guide dogs for the visually impaired to service companions that can detect and warn about oncoming seizures, pups have incredible abilities.
While any pup needs proper training to ensure they don’t eat your carpet or curtains, service pets need specialized training to meet their owners' standards.
You may already have a canine and wonder how to train a service dog so that yours, too, can aid a local friend or family member. While not all dogs need to be trained from birth, many considerations must be made before embarking on that journey.
De-Stress at Work With Puppy Therapy
It’s no secret that stress may be dangerous for your well-being. It’s also no surprise that when stress rises, work productivity decreases. With such a decrease in productivity, stress may then increase – and the cycle continues.
Numerous offices now have office dogs to combat the increase in work-related stress. Employees have better work-related health by providing a serotonin boost and a mental break from work.
While, unfortunately, puppies and pets may not be welcome in every workspace, the evidence is compelling. Hopefully, more offices consider a Puppy Therapy day – or at least an office pet to support their employees' health.
Power of Pets
The power of pets in the workplace among adults is well-evidenced, as is the power of pets at home for children, especially children with autism.
Autism is a medical condition growing in representation but is still widely untaught among the masses. Likewise, autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that all humans rest somewhere along this spectrum. This particular developmental disability is caused by differences in the brain.
As a spectrum disorder, no autistic child is the same. But mounting evidence shows that many autistic children may struggle with:
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Empathy
• “Meltdowns”
• Judgment from others
A pet at home – also known as pet therapy – may benefit an autistic child’s life. In helping to decrease stress and anxiety, increase empathy, prevent “meltdowns”, and – most importantly – give a loving, non-judgmental companion, dogs offer life-changing experiences.
And it’s not just dogs that provide great companions: rats, guinea pigs, and cats are also wonderful additions to the family!
Final Thoughts
Whether you want to train service pets yourself or think a friendly pup could be a great addition to your life, there are no doubt dogs are incredible companions that benefit health and hearts.
Photo Credit: Karl Anderson, Unsplash