I’ve grown up around animals. Dogs, cats, cows, horses. I love all animals.
As a young girl, my best friend was Mooley the Cow. My chore every night was to bring her up to the dairy and lock her in, so my Dad could milk her every morning. However, I’d be chatting and cuddling Mooley, would lose track of time and would hear Mum yelling for me to come inside for my bath and dinner. This happened most nights.
I have always had pets. I had Mooley, kippy, Minnie (our dogs), Sharni and Sue were our first cats. When I started nursing I got Mokey mow cat.
When we had kids, it was really important to me that my kids had pets in their lives. It teaches them unconditional love, responsibility and gentleness. It also teaches you loss and how to handle grief when a beloved pet passes.
I am now so blessed to have Lola and Sam in my life. Both are trained therapy dogs, but Sam is the superstar at this. Lola is quiet and shy and prefers building relationships, she is a dog that needs to get to know people before she trusts them. We got her when I had severe depression and without a doubt, that is why she is a more cautious dog.
Recently, Harvard University has done studies around the benefit of owning a dog.
They found that Middle Aged women who have a strong bond with their dog have higher levels of oxytocin, and they report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression.
It unequivocally proved that women who
have a strong bond with their dog (and didn’t just treat their dog like a pet) had significantly lower levels of stress.
The stronger the bond, the lower the
levels of depression and anxiety was noted.
Cortisol is a killer and in peri menopause and menopause, we can develop higher levels. Cortisol causes weight gain around our tummies, it causes high levels of stress and anxiety and is a factor in long term disease development. The study proved that a strong attachment to your dog releases oxytocin which lowers the levels of cortisol.
Apart from the fact I am obsessed with my dogs, the best way to develop a strong bond is through training and working together as a team.
Since we trained our dogs, the bond is so much stronger. I remember when we first took Lola to the advanced obedience training through Therapy and Support Animals Australia, Nikki (the founder) said to me that I will be surprised at how strong our bond will become with training.
She was so right!
So now, Sammy and I do group therapy work and visit hospitals together. Lola is a star at my clinic. If I don’t take the dogs to work, my clients get upset.
I find Lola can tell immediately if someone is highly anxious and will go to them. Sam loves everybody and if you are in a wheelchair, he will make a bee line straight to you.
My dogs give back to me ten-fold compared to the love I give them. I have met amazing people through my dogs and I get to give back to the community with TSAA, visiting hospitals, universities, and airports with Sammy.
I’m not saying rush out and get a dog, but I am encouraging you to look at your pets a little differently.
Do some training with them. Take them for a walk, let them comfort you when stressed, sad or lonely.
No one will ever love you as unconditionally as a dog will.
Bek x
