World Dog Day: why is it said to be man’s best friend and how do they help us?

Did you know that today, July 21, is World Dog Day? It is an event that was created in 2004 to pay tribute to man’s best friend and faithful companion. Dogs offer us unconditional love, infinite patience and unwavering loyalty. They endure our best and our worst moments, and deserve recognition. Today is also a day to promote respect for responsible pet ownership and to denounce the animal abuse that, unfortunately, many dogs continue to suffer. Today is also a day to raise awareness about abandonment, now that we are at the gates of the vacations and that is when more dogs are abandoned to their fate, as well as serving as a loudspeaker: there are many dogs that are still waiting for a family to adopt them in shelters and kennels.

Nowadays, dogs are not only pets that bring us great moments of happiness, but there are also police dogs, fire dogs, guide dogs, Instagrammers and dogs that help in Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal Assisted Therapies (AAT). Thanks to them many people and especially children with a specific disorder improve their response to therapies and are more relaxed when carrying them out. We interviewed Dr. Paloma Varela, specialist in Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry about what dogs bring us and how they help us in our daily lives.

Why is it often said that dogs are man’s best friend? What do dogs bring to humans?

The first time the phrase “man’s best friend” was used was in 1789 by King Frederick of Prussia.

It is very likely that they mention this fact because dogs are loyal. They are always there for us, and many will do absolutely anything for their owner, even try to save them or get help in an emergency. They are good company, they are happy to see us, there is a mutually beneficial relationship, they care for us, and they show unconditional love.

How do they help people, especially psychologically?

Research on the use of animals for therapeutic purposes dates back to the 1960s, when work was published investigating the use of pet psychotherapy for the treatment of conduct disorder in children.

The ability of dogs to develop a complex communication system with humans makes these animals particularly well suited to facilitate social interactions and communication.

Dogs are highly interactive and provide opportunities for physical, recreational and social activities, and their trainability has led them to be the most widely used animals to study the benefits of pets for people of all ages.

Different studies have focused on the benefits of dogs and a growing body of research shows how interaction with dogs (dog-assisted interventions) is associated with a greater variety of physical, psychological and social rewards for the people involved.

How do they help people with mental disorders? Why are they important?

Dogs increase empathy, improve socialization, reduce resistance to therapy, improve social interaction in people, relationship with the environment and motivation, break routines and improve physical contact.

And how do they especially help children?

There is a widespread belief that interaction with an animal is beneficial for children’s development, and several studies have investigated the influence of companion animals on socioemotional and cognitive development.

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Pets, especially dogs, are valuable tools with which to educate children about life events (e.g., concepts of life and death), and different studies have revealed that growing up with dogs has a beneficial effect on children’s self-esteem and self-confidence and, in addition, can enhance empathy and sense of responsibility, as well as identity within the peer group.

Animals, particularly dogs, can have a profound calming effect on children and the general assumption underlying Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is the non-judgmental and non-threatening nature of the companion animal’s support, which can promote a climate of “safety” for the child and contribute to a positive perception of a situation.

In fact, animals can help children cope with mildly stressful activities (e.g., a visit to the doctor’s office or therapy) and also with a major stressful experience, such as hospitalization, with measurable physiological effects, such as lowering blood pressure and heart rate.

Because children are less anxious when interacting with therapy dogs, they are also more willing to interact with peers and professionals, and an increase in responsiveness, alertness and willingness to communicate has been observed when a dog is introduced into the classroom or therapeutic settings.

Animals can be a valuable aid in therapeutic contexts because of their ability to catalyze social interactions and create a more relaxed environment conducive to self-regulation, a necessary requirement for the therapeutic process.

What are dog-assisted therapies? In many nursing homes, for example, they have dogs and do therapy with people with dementia and Alzheimer’s; there are therapies for children with autism or ADHD….

There are two types of therapies that involve the accompaniment of dogs:

  • Animal Assisted Activities (AAA): Provide motivational, educational and/or recreational benefits in order to improve the quality of life of people. AAAs are applied in a variety of settings by specially trained professionals and/or volunteers along with animals that meet specific safety criteria.
  • Animal Assisted Therapies (AAT): These are goal-directed interventions in which a specifically trained animal is an integral part of the treatment. AAT are designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive functioning. They are offered in a variety of settings and involve the individual. This process should be documented and evaluated throughout.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who have specific impairments in communicating and relating appropriately with other people and show a natural interest in animals, especially dogs, as they represent a powerful multisensory stimulus (loud and clear sounds, vivid visual impression, special smell and an innovation to touch), can benefit. Dogs can help people with ASD in their sensory and affective integration work by engaging them in dyadic interactions based on pleasurable activities that have strong sensory, movement and social underpinnings.

Is every human being suitable to have a dog, and may not be compatible with some personalities?

Any human being with the capacity to show emotional empathy and care for those around them is suitable to own a dog. Caring for an animal implies respect, dedication, mutual help and unconditional love for the dog, which allows the relationship between the two to grow and grow.

How to educate children to respect and love animals?

The responsibility of educating children to respect animals comes from the child’s environment. The values that imply responsibility and respect are basic for the growth of a relationship of mutual respect between the child and his pet. Children who are supported in their love for animals tend to generalize that love to other living things, such as plants and nature. Research also shows that when children are encouraged to care for animals, they tend to be more sensitive and loving toward other people.