National Dog Day!

Today is National Dog Day, so we are sharing some thoughts about these lovable animals!

Physical Health Benefits

Did you know that dogs can help with physical health?

“Several studies have shown that dog owners have lower blood pressure than non-owners — probably because their pets have a calming effect on them and because dog owners tend to get more exercise,” according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Dogs come with responsibilities that have fringe benefits to an individual’s health. Walking a dog is great for the dog’s health, but it also helps its owner get outside and exercise. 

Furthermore, dogs are very social animals and often draw attention to themselves. Having a dog can help start conversations, encouraging its owner to live outside his or her comfort zone and socialize.

Mental Health Benefits

Dogs are also therapeutic. They often provide positive attitudes, even if it’s not reciprocated! (No matter what your mood is.)

The repetitive movement of petting a dog can be meditative and calming. 

Service & Support Animals

Dogs and other animals (including mini horses!) can add tremendous value to a person’s health. In some cases, people rely on their animals and will register them as a Service or Support Animal. The main confusion in the public is between a Service Animal and Support Animal.  

Generally, a Service Animal is specifically trained for someone with a physical disability. These animals can perform tasks ranging from opening doors to alerting their person of heart rate spike or even if their insulin levels are off. These animals can go anywhere including restaurants, etc. and are usually professionally trained. (This category includes Seeing Eye/ Guide Dogs.)

A Support Animal is for someone with a mental disorder. Registering them as such guarantees the animal can live wherever their owner lives and allows for the animal to fly with their owner in the cabin of an airplane. It also allows the animal to stay in hotels with its owner. Their main requirement is to behave well and comfort their owner when they are going through adversity. An example of such may be someone who has panic attacks while flying. The animal will sense this and help keep its owner calm.

People sometimes blur the lines between the two or abuse the Support Animal name which can lead to controversy. The best thing we can do is to trust that the individual displaying a need for his or her animal is being honest and respect their boundaries.

Note: Calling Service Animals and Support Animals “Pets” is considered incorrect. These are working animals who perform specific tasks for their owners.

If You’re Thinking About Welcoming a New Friend

There is so much to consider when thinking about welcoming an animal to the family.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention is a great resource for information about choosing a animal.