Why is Petting a Dog Therapeutic?

Petting a dog elicits a positive response in our brains.

According to a study out of the University of Oxford, our brains react to positive touches in powerful ways. A positive touch, like petting a dog, registers in the part of our brain that plays an important role in regulating our emotions.

Humans in general are touch-centric beings. When we touch or are touched, that contact stimulates sensors below the skin, which sends a signal to your brain. That signal goes directly to the vagus nerve, and important nerve center in the brain that interacts with the heart and other internal organs. When we feel a positive touch, that nerve center can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Like positive human touch, positive contact with an animal can stimulate the vagus nerve, which generates a therapeutic chain reaction throughout your body.

Oxytocin, “the love hormone,” creates a feel-good bond between you and your pets.

It’s not just one chemical or reaction in the brain that makes time petting and snuggling your dog so therapeutic, but many. Along with stimulating the vagus nerve, petting a pup also releases oxytocin in the brain. Oxytocin is often referred to as the “love” hormone, and it creates feelings of love, trust and intimacy. Humans feel it in the relationships to other humans that they love, but they can also feel it with their pets.

Endorphins, “the happiness hormones,” increase when we pet our dogs.

Along with oxytocin, scientists have also found that petting a dog causes your brain to release endorphins, often referred to as the “happiness” hormones. Many people hear about endorphins because they are released during exercise, but these happy hormones can reduce stress and anxiety as well as lessen our response to pain no matter what causes them. Petting a dog is another activity releases endorphins,

Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” is decreased when you pet a dog.

Not only does contact with a dog increase amounts of feel-good hormones in our brains, it also reduces the amount of feel-bad hormones. One of these hormones – cortisol – is known as the “stress” hormone. Cortisol is a chemical part of our adrenal system, and when we feel stressed, we often release too much cortisol. Too much cortisol can lead to digestive problems, insomnia, heart disease and other problems.

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