More than ‘just a pet’: How our furry friends can support our health

It seems almost everywhere you look, pets have invaded our lives: we see places you can take your pets, advertisements for putting your pet’s face on custom merchandise, or read about the magic of animal-assisted therapy. Is this just a trendy fad, or is there more to the captivating nature of the human-animal bond?

There are numerous benefits to pet ownership that can support our health (including both our mental and physical health). Humans benefit in various ways from being around animals; this includes lowered heart rates, blood pressure, and stress hormones; and increased relaxation (Olmert, 2009; VanFleet & Faa-Thompson, 2017). Thus, being around a pet can melt away the stress and help you feel calmer. Pets also make wonderful companions and support systems. When you have a bad day, your pet is often waiting for you at home and is so excited to see you, which can instantly help our mood. Pets are also great listeners, are nonjudgmental, and (usually) never say the wrong thing (although my huskies will sometimes ‘talk back to me’). Furthermore, spending time with a pet can increase oxytocin (known as the “love hormone”), which can help strengthen the bond you have with them (Olmert, 2009; VanFleet & Faa-Thompson, 2017).

Tips for strengthening the relationship between you and your pet to support your health:

1. Find activities that both you and your pet enjoy: While this may seem like an obvious

thing that you already know the answer to, when was the last time you stopped to

carefully watch your pet to see what they seem to enjoy? Activities could include finding

new toys to engage with your pet, going for a walk, curling up on the couch together, or

just sitting outside together enjoying the outdoors. One of my favorites is to create a

“scavenger hunt” of treats for my dogs to find, which they really seem to enjoy!

2. Engage in training: While this seems reasonable for dog owners, it may seem like an

odd suggestion for other pet owners. However, it is a myth that you can only train dogs.

Many other species of animals can participate in training (yes, including cats!) and can be

clicker trained. Training can be a fantastic way to have fun with your pet and strengthen

your bond with them. Keep training sessions short (around 5 minutes), fun, and playful.

3. Get active: There are many ways we can be active with our pets, which supports both our

and our pets’ physical health. This includes going for walks or exploring the backyard

with your pet, but can also include playing games with your pet. One of my (and

Biscuit’s) favorites is to pull out the dog pool on warm summer days and splash around

with my dogs!

4. Be mindful: My final recommendation is to be mindful when spending time with your

pets. It is easy to be near them but be in our own heads about our busy and stressful lives.

Instead, the next time you are with your pet, think about how you feel in that moment to

be with your pet and the love and gratitude that you have for your pet. I imagine this will

help you to feel even more positive emotions and a stronger bond with your pet during

that moment.

So, to benefit both you and your pet, I encourage you to take a moment to stop and do something fun with your furry loved ones today!

By: Jill Robinson, LCSW, LSCSW, RPT-S™, CAS, CAAPT-S

References

Olmert, M. D. (2009). Made for each other: The biology of the human–animal bond. Da Capo

Press.

VanFleet, R., & Faa-Thompson, T. (2017). Animal Assisted Play Therapy. Professional Resource

Exchange.