Could Your Dog Be Your Therapist?

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We live in stressful times. People have almost daily encounters with stressors that produce anxiety, including financial issues, political concerns, family difficulties, and interpersonal problems, just to name a few. As a result of all of this, our psychological and emotional health suffers.

According to the latest statistics released by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), it is estimated that 1 out of 5 American adults suffered from symptoms of some form of anxiety disorder in the past year. Furthermore, the statistics indicate that around 31 percent of U.S. adults will experience one or another form of diagnosable anxiety, emotional problem, or stress-related disorder at some time in their lives.

Sadly, of the tens of millions of people with such emotional problems, it is estimated that less than half will actually receive any formal psychological treatment. The reason that so many emotional problems remain untreated is partly due to the expense involved in psychotherapy, while another part has to do with the stigma that many people still feel about seeking psychological help.

So, instead of looking for a trained and certified psychologist, individuals with emotional problems often seek more exotic "cures," such as joining groups that offer art therapy, chess therapy, nude therapy, sandbox therapy, culinary therapy, and so forth. The evidence is sparse as to whether such alternative approaches work; however, according to some new research, one of the best things you can do to improve your mental health might be to simply get yourself a pet dog.

Dogs as Therapists

The usefulness and effectiveness of therapy dogs for relieving a number of anxiety-related psychological problems is well-established. Back in the year 2000, the first edition of the Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy appeared. It summarized a sizable number of studies showing the psychological benefits of therapy dogs.

Every five years, subsequent editions of this handbook have added descriptions of hundreds of new studies indicating the clinical value of therapy dogs—and this important reference is now in its sixth edition! Clearly, the therapeutic and anxiety-reducing value of dogs is now scientifically accepted.

Of course, the majority of the dogs engaged in animal-assisted therapy have been specifically trained to provide emotional support and stress relief. However, this most recent study (commissioned by Nulo and conducted by Talker Research) dealt with a different population. It targeted 2,000 dog owners whose canine companions were pet dogs, not specifically trained for any form of therapeutic or assistance work.

The online survey was wide-ranging and looked at the interaction between people and their pet dogs. The overall pattern of the results indicated that simply having a pet dog as a companion improved the emotional health of 39 percent of the responding American adults.

How Does a Pet Dog Provide Therapeutic Benefits?

The emotional and mental health benefits provided by these pet dogs seem to have resulted simply from people experiencing the normal behaviors of a well-socialized dog rather than some kind of trained psychological assistance behaviors. In the survey, 69 percent of dog owners reported that their dogs improved their mental and emotional well-being by comforting them when they were sad, and this same kind of comfort helped them through generally stressful times (60 percent). Others reported improvements because their dog paid attention and listened to them when they needed to vent (45 percent).

The beneficial activities that the dogs engaged in were not rare events. In this study, dog owners reported that their pets boosted their mood an average of nine times every single day by making their owners laugh (73 percent), by playing (68 percent), by snuggling with them (67 percent), or simply by being a comforting presence and resting with them on the couch (64 percent). Remarkably, 61 percent of respondents rate the time they spend with their dog as the single best part of their day.

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More than 1 out of 3 dog owners specifically note that their dogs act like psychologists because of the way that they support their owner's mental health and lighten their moods.

More Than Psychotherapy

This study included a number of other measures, and 25 percent of respondents reported that their dogs improved their physical as well as their affective health. This replicates previous findings that owning a dog stimulates a person to engage in more physical activity (for example, through daily walks), which has, in turn, been shown to improve general health.

The physical benefits of owning a dog have been confirmed in many other studies. In fact, in 2013, the American Heart Association released a report by a panel of experts who surveyed hundreds of studies in the scientific literature and concluded that dog ownership substantially improves cardiovascular health.

The psychological significance of these new findings is that improved emotional and mental health outcomes are experienced by ordinary dog owners who are merely living with their pet dog. These dogs (even though they have not been specifically trained to provide therapeutic assistance) can still serve as a buffer against anxiety and stress.

In other words, the data suggests that any dog, including your own pet dog, can provide emotional support and boost mental health and affective well-being. Furthermore, there is certainly no stigma nor any high-priced professional fees involved in owning a dog—even if he happens to be your own "in-house therapist."

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