One of my favorite memories was when my son was 1 year old. He’s sitting in a highchair tossing cheerios onto the floor like kids do. Now, the normal reaction would be to get overly controlling, or place a big plastic mat under his chair. I didn’t have to do either. I had what we lovingly called many Hoovers and Eurekas in my kitchen. This was my affectionate name for the semi-circle of dogs patiently sitting below my son’s high-chair gobbling up every last sticky, goopy scrap my son was happily chucking. Our family has and award-winning pet care business, which has created so many funny, fond memories like this one. Kids and dogs, what can go wrong, right? hehe
Animals can be so many things to us. They can drag our butts out to exercise. They can snuggle us on lonely nights. They can be a source of playfulness and levity. And, they can also help ease our stress and anxiety.
Animals have incredible healing powers they have. They make you feel more at ease by lowering your heart rate, and distracting you from worried thoughts. The simple act of skin touching fur releases serotonin, melatonin, and endorphins into your system, which creates a feeling of calm and well-being.
This is supported by science. Research shows that animals assist people by reducing loneliness, increasing a sense of purpose, improving confidence, and reducing anxiety. If you're considering adopting a dog, or just want to hang out with one, poodles, pitbulls, labs, terriers, mutts, and mixes are all wonderful choices. If cats, bunnies, or Guinea Pigs are your cup of tea, and you’re not their forever home, then make a date to volunteer at a local shelter. There’s no shortage of opportunities to spend time with animals, even if you don’t have one of your own.
Our family was blessed to grow up around animals. We’ve had our own dogs. We’ve been honored to care for other’s dogs, cats and occasional bunnies and birds with our award-winning pet care business.
From our experience, here are couple of our favorite breeds that can bring the chill vibe to any stressed-filled day.
- Bulldogs. They’re just pretty laid back, and don’t tend to be highly active. Every dog needs exercise every day, and so do people. This breed can take a long, stroll in the neighborhood and be happy as a clam.
- Greyhounds. If you like to be more active, then a greyhound is a wonderful companion. Our experience has been that they’re super sweet and affectionate. Of course, they love to run. We’re huge advocates of adopting all breeds of dogs, and greyhounds have special groups that rescue them from the racing industry. Most purebreds have rescues that specialize in their breed.
- Labradors. Labradors tend to be the favorite choice for active families. Our experience is they’re chill and active. Some can be overly ball obsessive, but we just trained them to focus on other things. Our son would spend hours throwing the ball for our lab mix. They really built a special bond by playing together.
If you’re dealing with stress and anxiety, make a conscious effort to spend time with animals. It will help you reset your nervous system. Remember, animals have super healing powers.
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schedule a free discovery call with me today by clicking this link.
Warmly, Lorie
