Owning a Pet Can Be
a Great Source for Stress Relief
Pets--those furry, four-footed friends--can provide excellent support and stress relief for us who live in such a hectic world. In my opinion, there is nothing better in this world than the unconditional love you get from a cat or dog in your life. We have three dogs--two Danes and a Basset--who grace the pages of this website frequently. We lost our Gracie, but now have Beretta, who joins our Magnum and Chip. I have always found that pets offer love and companionship without asking much in return. They offer a great strategy for stress management as well as much needed
stress relief.
For those who love animals, you know it is almost impossible to stay in a bad mood when you look into the soft eyes of a dog or have a soft furry cat rub up against your leg. They always seem to help me with
handling stress
and agree with me while listening quite assuredly, with no judgment attached!!
Magnum, Chip, and Gracie are great companions and provide excellent stress relief for hectic days!!
Here are some reasons why I think pets help with stress relief.
Pets offer positive emotional support. They are non-judgmental and always willing to listen. As they listen, they keep your secrets, sit with you patiently in comforting silence, snuggle, act as comic relief, and be the perfect antidote for loneliness. After a trying day, there is nothing better than being greeted by a four-footed friend, enthusiastic to see you.
We all need
exercise
and so do our pets. Why not share the experience and go for a walk? Beretta, our fawn Great Dane, can be a challenge sometimes but he is learning and becoming more patient as he walks with me. He is much more willing to walk than Chip, who quickly finds a place to rest along the way. Regardless, walking a dog is a great way to enjoy the exercise with a companion and both benefit from the experience. Exercise is also a great method for stress management.
If you are interested in meeting people in your neighborhood, what better reason for people to stop and talk than having a pet to act as the introduction! Pets offer a way for you to meet people when you are walking because they are like magnets making you more approachable to others. Even my Danes, as huge as they are, have been great ice-breakers for people to come up and meet us.
Studies show that pets are help in reducing blood pressure because their presence helps us stay calmer and reduces a human's spikes in blood pressure that can be triggered due to stress and tension. A study from the University of Buffalo monitored stockbrokers who had no medical conditions other than hypertension and lived alone. The half who received dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn't get pets. When they learned of the results, many of those in the non-pet group went out and got pets. The study showed that if you have high blood pressure, a pet is good for you when you are under stress and especially helpful if you have a limited support system. In addition, you can lower your blood pressure just by calmly petting or brushing a dog who is enjoying the attention. There is a lot we can learn from pets.
Read Liz Parrish's article on What We Can Learn From Dogs: Dogs as Mirrors.
Have A Great Story About How Your Pet Provides Stress Relief for You?
Do you have a great story about how your pet is a source of stress relief for you? Why not share it!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
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