Since coming to Penn State, I’ve been starting to get a little homesick being so far from home. One thing I miss most about being home is my adorable dog. One thing every college student has a lot of is stress. I had heard about a school that brings in “stress puppies” before final exams, so I was wondering if dogs actually helped reduce stress.
Studies show that the hormone oxytocin, which is stress reducing, can increase when someone plays with or pets a dog. At the same time, cortisol, a stress hormone, decreases when playing with or petting a dog. Another study also shows that people with dogs who also had high blood pressure were able to keep it lower in stressful situations.
Studies show that a dog can offer unconditional love. For People with depression, this may help ease their symptoms. A pet can give them love that is not complicated. Pets do not have complicated relationships. As the article puts it, “You don’t have to worry about hurting your pet’s feelings or getting advice you don’t want.” The article also says that dogs force people to be more active, which is also true. You have to walk your dog multiple times a day, and if you are a good pet owner, you will run around and play with it. I personally used to take my dog on runs at home. Physical activity is proven to be good for physical and mental health, which will help decrease stress levels. A dog is also a companion. When someone is depressed, they may feel alone. A dog is always there when you are feeling sad, I mean they are man’s best friend for a reason.
At the same time, I read a yahoo answers post talking about how a woman’s family dog is causing stress in her home. Taking care of a pet can be a lot of work, and thus can increase stress. I know from personal experience that a dog can also stress you out. When you are busy, they are something extra to take care of. They need to be fed, walked, bathed, and can often get themselves in trouble. They can make messes, chew things, and some dogs are misbehaved.
Overall, in my opinion, I think that just seeing and petting a dog, such as a stress dog that is brought into schools can help decrease stress, but actually owning one probably depends on they type of dog you have. Dogs have different personalities, so a low maintenance dog will probably help reduce stress, but a dog that is bad behaved or high maintenance could have the opposite effect and promote stress.
this is my dog, Coco, who I’m obsessed with. I miss her and I think she definitely reduces stress in me.
I do not relate to this post because unfortunately I have no pets, but I am completely in love with dogs! I totally agree with you that dogs provide a stress reliever. Of course they can provide a stressful situation at times, but all pets need to be taken care of. The benefits outweigh the negatives by far. In high school, I used to go over my friend’s house and play with her dog while we had our homework out or were about to begin. Playing and petting with her dog relieved my stress so much and actually made me want to focus and do my work after I was done. I also agree that playing with dogs and pets in general will decrease stress hormones in the body and increase stress releasing hormones! Maybe you can research more studies of this to see if others had the same results! The link below talks more in depth about this topic! 🙂
http://www.today.com/health/5-ways-pets-can-ease-your-stress-6C10423970
I personally can relate to this post because I have a dog myself and he is the most sweetest dog ever. Being so far away from him makes me home sick and makes me feel like I’m missing out on his years of being healthy and alive which makes me depressed. When I’m home with him he brings nothing but happiness to me and its almost hard to be depressed around him. I agree in the sense that having a dog when one is at their ultimate low can definite raise spirits and brighten someone’s mood quickly. However, I also agree with the statement that having a dog can also bring stress. I feel as though if one just got a new puppy then of course their life may be filled with more responsibility now and this may become stressful. However, owning a dog comes with greater pros than cons. Once a dog is trained, they are so loving and bring so much joy to one’s life which is why I strongly agree that the oxytocin in our bodies is definitely increased when interacting with a dog. This article gives more insight into this topic!
I miss my dog too! I thought it was really interesting that you pointed out both sides of having a dog as a pet. I’m with you believing they promote mostly good, stressful activities, but definitely also can cause stress if the relationship is not handled correctly. I read somewhere that a dog can sense your stress or mood change and will act according to that. I guess dogs really are man’s best friend.
P.S. Your dog is super cute.