A Dog's Purpose

Americans just love dogs; roughly forty-four percent (44%) of Americans own a dog as a pet. As a dog fanatic and a Licensed Mental Health Clinician, I have received a lot of mental health benefit from my dogs.

Dogs teach us:

Live in the moment! Dogs aren’t preoccupied with a sense of time and can help us to not overly involve ourselves in the fast-paced world.

Despite any problem that arises, your dog is there for you! Dogs cannot talk or provide advice, but their presence provides relief and reassurance we are loved.

Exercise is necessary! Notice how much better behaved your dog is when active, and then notice the same correlation with yourself.

Touch is very important for ourselves and our dogs. Dogs thrive on our attention and touch. The bond is priceless! Touch can dramatically reduce stress and tension.

Experts suggest that dog ownership decreases levels of stress, depression and anxiety. Dogs are attuned to human’s behaviors and emotions. Playing with a pet can elevate your serotonin and dopamine levels, which improves relaxation. Dogs fulfill the basic human need for touch and owning a dog is believed to decrease our blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease risk.