Dogs are always amazing. Whether young or old, small or big, our dogs are the source of joy in our lives. Not just that – they also add a little bit of hilarity to people’s day through their antics. But dogs can have a calm and serious side, too. Canines of this calibre need to go through training so they can be therapy dogs. The benefits of this training include:
1. Boost Mental Health
For adults, spending time with a therapy dog can encourage the body’s production and release of oxytocin and serotonin, and it may also influence prolactin levels. These hormones help to generate a stress-reducing and relaxation response, not to mention. According to trainers at Therapy Dog Training UK, training your therapy dog can also lower your symptoms of sadness and depression, supporting good mental health. You can visit their website for their training programs.
2. Spread Joy in a Hospital
Among the common roles of a therapy dog is their frequent visits to hospitals. Usually, they stroll wards to bring smiles to the staff and patients. Their presence is a bright spot for the people who are going through medical treatments. Just being there, a therapy dog can give a sense of homeliness and normalcy in the sterile environment of a hospital.
3. Help People with Loneliness
A therapy dog can benefit individuals who are lonely and socially isolated, like the elderly. Social isolation and loneliness may result in health issues, which interacting with therapy dogs may help to mitigate. Social interaction may benefit people by giving them good moods and improving their emotional control.
4. Improve Physical Health
Working with a therapy dog can help encourage patients to proceed with their therapy, lessen pain symptoms, and boost their mood. It can also motivate them to exercise frequently for the sake of their physical condition. Examples of these physical conditions that a therapy dog can benefit from may include the following:
- Post-stroke recovery
- Epilepsy
- Cardiovascular disease
- Cancer-related discomfort and pain
- Development of motor skills
- Diabetes
- Recovery after surgery
5. Encourage Teamwork in the Workplace
Most companies spend lots of money and hours to implement and plan activities for team-building. If the presence of a therapy dog in a workplace may improve cooperation, why not opt for the option and save money? It is common for workplaces to have some kind of drama or conflict. There are instances where employees might feel they won’t be able to relate to each other. By introducing a therapy dog in the workplace, you can generate interactions, which will encourage dialogue as workers share good memories. With this commonality, employees will be more connected to each other and would be willing to work as a team.
6. Build Relationships
A good example is autistic kids who find it difficult to communicate. Therapy dogs may help to facilitate the conversation between autistic kids and their parents. They also offer a non-judgmental place to individuals with a disability so they can communicate when they find it difficult to talk to other people.
The bottom line is that a therapy dog surpasses the responsibilities of companionship. Just being around, can help patients recover faster and boost their morale in the workplace.
