All the research that’s gone into human mental health over recent years has shown how significantly pets can benefit people – including all the great reasons why we should utilise them in therapies. The more we grow to love and value our pets, the more research gets invested into them and now we have a comprehensive understanding of intrinsic behaviours in pets to help care for them. 

The proof is undeniable that pets can improve our mental health. Sometimes all a pet has to do is walk by to spark a smile. However, it’s a symbiotic relationship and often not acknowledged enough just how much of an impact humans can have on pets’ mental health. 

How people’s mood and behaviour impacts a pet’s mental health

We know that our actions, training and daily routine can majorly impact our pet’s mental health – a simple example is how severe the repercussions of punishment training can be. Because our pets become so bonded to us and depend on us, our mood, behaviour and body language often impacts theirs. This is referred to as ‘synchronised emotions’, where our pets sense our emotions and mirror them. They’re able to do this by picking up on a change in scent coming from body odour, hormone changes, or physical attributes like; increased heart rate, heavy breathing, tone of voice or yawning. They do this because they trust us. If they sense we’re stressed, they assume there’s something to be stressed about. Or, if we’re calm, they’ll feel at ease in their environment. This isn’t always the case though. Some cats and dogs are more confident or less reliant and therefore our emotions won’t have such a significant impact.

Our impact can go beyond synchronised emotions, because pets mirror us often without understanding the root of the emotion. A consistent sad, stressful or overwhelming environment can cause long-lasting issues like anxiety, depression and even OCD in pets. With that said, however, environment and people are not the only factors that can cause mental health issues in pets. 

How our actions can impact a pet

As their carers, it’s our responsibility to manage our pet’s mental health (or those in our care). Whilst our mood and emotions have a huge impact, our actions and treatment of animals can also have a huge impact. Creating a sense of fear in our pets can be detrimental to their mental health and dangerous. Fear can create unpredictable, dangerous and undesirable behaviour such as biting, stress urination and reactivity. This is why it’s crucial to only use positive training techniques and manage our emotions to ensure we don’t take out anger, stress or emotions on our pets.

Pets have developed well past the point of simply providing companionship for humans. They’re capable of providing therapy, assistance, medical assistance, security and much more. It’s hard to ignore the impact when you see how well equine therapy works for inmates, the sniffer dogs at airports, feline therapy or guide dogs. Various studies have proven pets’ ability to improve our mental health. Johns Hopkins Medicine speaks to one study where 84% of patients with PTSD paired with a service dog reported a significant reduction in symptoms and 40% were able to decrease their medications.

The relationship between people and pets is good for our health!

How pets have such a significant impact is no mystery. It’s primarily linked to oxytocin, the hormone known for the feelings of love and trust. Many studies over the years have revealed that something as simple as looking into a pet’s eyes or petting them can increase the release of oxytocin. And, it goes both ways, interacting with humans can have the same hormonal impact for pets. Similarly, interacting with a pet can reduce cortisol levels, the stress hormone. The benefits of lower cortisol levels can also lead to improvements in physical health, such as lower blood pressure and increased cardiovascular health. The long-term impacts of lower cortisol levels and increased oxytocin are what help combat conditions such as; anxiety and/or depression, or manage symptoms for disorders like PTSD and OCD. 

The medical world has taken advantage of this knowledge and implemented it in the following ways: resident therapy dogs, visiting therapy pets, and out-patient programs at hospitals. Organisations like Delta Therapy Dogs are instrumental in aiding these opportunities and making them accessible to as many people as possible. 

Mental health extends beyond labelled issues; social skills, confidence, management of emotions and much more can benefit from pets. A great example is therapy or assistance pets sitting with children while they read, helping them build confidence and feel comfortable reading out loud. Some progressive shelters have even implemented reading programs where children come and read to the pets, helping the children build confidence while providing enrichment time for the pets. Prisons all over the world have pet rehabilitation programs. Some programs help the inmates learn skills and benefit from spending time with pets, while others rehabilitate them both – pairing rescue or retired animals like dogs and horses with inmates. 

Understanding how people impact pets’ mental health, and vice versa

Understanding this symbiotic relationship is key to managing peoples’ and pets’ mental health. Understanding the impact one another can have means your actions and emotions should be managed accordingly. 

The post People and pets: How they impact each other’s mental health appeared first on Mad Paws.

But if we really want to be responsible Pet Owners, we should know how to read the signs of mental health issues in our dogs. Being able to treat any signs of emotional distress should be as normalised as taking our pups to the groomers or hiring an on-demand Dog Walker.

In this article, we’re going to discuss some issues and treatments to make sure we’re taking care of our dog’s mental health.

What does your dog’s mental health look like?

Before diving right into trying to diagnose our dog’s mental health, it can be helpful to understand what a happy and content doggo looks like. Here are some telltale signs of a healthy pup:

• At mealtimes, your dog eats normally and isn’t possessive over their food bowl.
• Your dog is comfortable in their space, without hiding or lashing out at new people in their territory
• You don’t come home to destroyed furniture, a door or window that’s been scratched or chewed as your dog tried to escape
• You can’t see your dogs hip bones protruding
• Your dog isn’t overweight
• When you try to play with your dog, they are excited and engaged
• Poop is normal and consistent, and there are no other digestive issues like vomiting

If your dog shows all of these signs of a happy pup, congratulations! You’ve likely creative an environment that is perfect for your dog’s mental health.

Now, what about when your dog’s mental health isn’t all tail wags and puppy cuddles?

Common problems for a dog’s mental health

Our dogs can’t tell us what they’re thinking, but they can show us when something is bothering them. Here are a few ways that mental health issues can manifest in doggie behaviour:

• Aggression and possessiveness – many Dog Owners assume that aggression and possessiveness is a lack of training or an unfortunate breed quality. While that can be true in some cases, it’s important to remember that aggression stems from anxiety and fear. Dogs who are uncomfortable in their territory or feel that they have to fight for their resources will resort to aggression and possessiveness.
• Destruction of furniture – this can be a sign of a dog that is bored and lonely. This behaviour is often linked with separation anxiety.
• Lack of interest in toys, exercise, and food – If your doggo isn’t their normal bouncy, energetic self, take it as a huge red flag. Your dog might be experiencing canine stress or depression, or there may be something physical going on.
• Anti-social behaviour – Dogs are social by nature. And even if you have a dog breed that is known for independence, your pup should still seek out interaction.
• Vomiting – This may also be a sign of stress or physical condition.
• Excessive barking or howling – This is a common sign of loneliness or distress.

Alright, let’s take a pause. That’s a lot to keep in mind when it comes to your dog’s mental health. But, the more time you spend with your pup and get to know their personality, noticing changes in their behaviour will become second nature. If something is off, you’ll know. And there are plenty of things that you can do to improve the situation.

“Look, it’s not one big thing. It’s just a million LITTLE things…”

6 ways to improve your dog’s mental health

If you can commit to these doggie-focused steps, you’ll have a happy and healthy pup in your home.

#1: Take your dog to the vet regularly

In animals like dogs, physical issues and mental health issues are intimately linked. So, if you want to make sure that your dog is happy, make sure their body is in tip-top shape.

#2: Provide daily exercise and mental stimulation

You would be amazed at how many issues can be resolved with a little more time spent playing and exercising with your dog. Don’t forget that dogs need daily exercise, and they can benefit even more if you add a layer of mental stimulation in the form of training sessions or mental games.

If you don’t have the time to take your dog out every day, consider hiring a trusted Dog Walker near you.

#3: Make sure their living space is safe and peaceful

If your dog has territorial aggression but they spend all day in the yard watching other dogs walk right next to their territory, they’re going to feel stressed. Similarly, older dogs who just want peace and quiet may not be happy around young children.

One solution could be to introduce crate training to your dog to give them a place to feel safe. Or invest in a high-quality Calming bed that they can retreat to, to help them relax and reduce any anxiety.

#4: Feed them healthy foods

Diet can have a big impact on your dog’s mental health. So, always give them highly nutritious dog food. And, limit their access to human food which can be difficult for them to digest.

#5: Give your dog some TLC

What do most doggos want more than anything? Quality time with their beloved Owners. Make sure that your dog is getting plenty of attention and love from the humans around them.

#6: Help them cope with life changes

Like humans, dogs can feel loss and grief. Life changes like the loss of a doggie friend or a move to a new home can trigger sadness in dogs. Experts suggest that Dog Owners can help their doggies deal with depression by maintaining a sense of normalcy and giving them more time for exercise.

If you don’t see any changes in your dog, you can also talk to your vet for recommendations.

We hope this article has helped you to better understand your dog’s mental health. What do you do to make sure your pup is living their best life?

The post 6 Ways to Improve Your Dog’s Mental Health appeared first on Mad Paws.