How Dogs Are Healing Us, One Sniff at a Time

Dogs make everything better. A growing body of research has shown that dogs can positively impact our physical and mental health. Dogs provide us with companionship and unconditional love, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety. They also encourage us to get out and exercise, essential for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. In addition, dogs can offer support during difficult times. There is no doubt that dogs have the power to heal, making them an essential part of our wellness journey.

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Global Running Day (Correction: September 18th, 2022, not September 10th as mentioned in episode)
https://www.globaltrailday.com

National Dog Day
https://www.nationaldogday.com

10 Ways to Celebrate National Dog
1. Adopt a dog from your local shelter
2. Donate blankets, food to animal welfare organizations
3. Have a portrait painted of your dog
4. Buy your dog a fun new toy
5. Go for a run or walk with your dog or other fun exercises
6. Pamper your dog with affection, massage, or a holistic spa treatment
7. Teach your dog a new trick
8. Buy your dog a fashionable collar and leash
9. Hire a professional photographer for a dog photoshoot 
10. Take your dog to the beach

Transcript

Sheri Davidson: 0:19

Friends Welcome to the wellness Aspire podcast, the place where you can find inspiration, motivation and empowerment in the pursuit of a wellness lifestyle. I'm your host, Sheri Davidson. And as always, I'm here with my terrier mix, rescue dog and co host Finn. And today we have a special episode for you. National Dog Day is August the 26th. That's this Friday. This episode will post on the Wednesday before the special day. So we are just in time, but this episode will be on the healing power of dogs. And this was Ben's idea. So great job Finn. Before we move on a few things I would like to mention, I will be on my way out of town. This week, I'm going on the ultimate wellness trip to the Faroe Islands, there is a troll festival there, I will be running free exploring all the beauty This place has to offer. And at the end of the troll festival, there is a race I signed up for the half marathon. I'm expecting the terrain to be technical, rugged and steep. My training has mostly focused on Hill work. And very soon, we will see how it all goes. It's really hard to train for the rugged terrain here in Houston. So anyway, if you've been listening to the podcast, you know how excited I am about this trip. It has been a long time planning and it's finally here. So I hope to come back with great stories to share with you. And my plan is to get a mini podcast out while I'm there. Global trail running day is September the 10th. And I know we have a lot of national and global days that I'm mentioning, but I just really believe in bringing awareness to these things. So I think it's the perfect opportunity to do that. And I will be traveling abroad trail running abroad, so I thought it would be appropriate to do an episode celebrating the health and wellness benefits of trail running while in the Faroe Islands for global trail running day. Two timely not to do so. Alright friends, let's do this. Let's jump into the episode on the healing power of dogs. If you're lucky, a dog will come into your life, steal your heart and change everything. All animals have an incredible gift of giving and healing. But this month we are focused on dogs because April the 26th is National Dog Day. This day celebrates all dogs mixed and purebreds calling page a pet and family lifestyle expert, Animal Rescue advocate, conservationist, dog trainer and author founded the special doggie day. Her purpose is to raise awareness around the number of dogs in need of being rescued each year. The day also acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selfishly to save lives. Dogs keep us safe and bring us comfort. And that is not all they keep giving. Now they are detecting cancer and seizures, playing an undeniable role in our health and wellness. And I would like to take the time to introduce you to Finn and tell you a little bit of our story. Because I cannot think of a better time to celebrate and honor my most precious sidekick and coworker. If you've been to the clinic, you have met the Fenster. He works at element five acupuncture and wellness and he takes his job very seriously. So I made him the chief executive greeter and therapy dog there. Why because he has excellent listening skills. He is a top notch comforter and counselor with for and for 10 years, Finn has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on my clinic patients and of course me his enthusiasm and excitement for his job or every employer stream. When he connects with our patients. He wipes a massive smile across their faces. And in seconds. They soften, relax and let go of the world. They are present with him, even if it is just for a few minutes apiece before they return. Finn came into my life in 2012 I saw him while I was running around Rice University. He was with an independent Rescue Service at the rice village farmers market. His adorable terrier face and sweet demeanor caught my eye It's hard to think that I almost kept running that day. But he chose me. I adopted him. And his first day at the clinic was September the 12th of 2012. I had just moved into a beautiful new space and the rice village district. And at that moment, everything changed personally and professionally. I didn't know it then. But our special bond would bring companionship, love, loyalty, trust, support, authenticity, non judgment, and yes, healing. I know that's a lot. But it's all true. Finn came into my life several years after my divorce. And reflecting back on that time, you know, he opened my heart again, he reminded me that when I love someone, or a dog, I want to nourish it and watch it grow the relationship and the individual. I want to see them happy, safe, protected, but also free. I cherish the things that Bond's us together like trail running for us. You know, I get so much joy watching him run the trails with a big smile on his face. He genuinely loves it. And I'm so happy that I can provide him with that experience. Finn and I rescued another dog at Hermann Park. I think it was in 2018 Maybe. And we named her Abigail. She was a super sweet dog. But she did not enjoy the trials at all. She didn't enjoy the trials. She didn't enjoy work. She is a dog of luxury. And I think she said you guys are crazy. I am choosing your mom. So she is with my mom. Now. They have an incredible sweet relationship. And she is living her best life. But the trials were not her thing. Not all dogs enjoy being out there. So I feel like I got really lucky with Fenn, because we really both do enjoy it. And it's one of the things that makes our bond so strong. And I have no question that Finn healed my heart. And I'm not alone in this experience. As humans, we are social animals. We have a strong need to connect and have meaningful relationships. I did an episode on relationships and communication. I believe it was episode number eight. It was a popular one. So if you're interested, you could always go back and check it out. But we're social animals and coincidentally, dogs are social animals to a dog's openness to humans, along with their other proficient skills creates the conditions for a powerful connection. That's why 38.4% of the US population owns a dog according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, making the canine a popular and favorite addition to many families. But dogs are not only great companions, they also have magical healing powers. These extraordinary bonds have revealed dog's impactful role and our mental, social and physical well being we can experience their healing abilities just by their presence. So how can dogs improve your health and well being? Well, here are 10 ways. I think there are more but here's the 10 big ones. Research shows that dogs can improve your just overall general quality of life through companion and connection. And petting a dog releases all those feel good and calm neurotransmitters like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and prolactin. This helps reduce anxiety, improve mood and reduce pain. It has also been found that petting a dog can reduce cortisol, our stress hormone. So I think you should make it a daily habit to pet your dog or a dog. Dogs can also lower blood pressure, probably for all the reasons that I just mentioned. They also promote exercise. I mean, think about all the stories about someone losing weight after getting a dog, all those long walks together. And that's probably a reason why it has also been found that dogs can lower cholesterol. No surprise there. If you're outside exercising, then your cholesterol levels are more than likely to come down. But dogs also help people socialize. And we can probably all agree how much easier it is to socialize when there's a dog around. I know at the clinic most people while Finn thinks that everyone comes to see him. And most people when they walk in the clinic, the first thing they do is say hi to him. And then they say hi to me. me. I'm used to it, it is okay. So dogs do help us socialize. It has also been found that dogs can improve immunity Research at the University of California San Francisco believe that exposure to the germs dogs carry gives a person's immune system a daily workout. The result, decreasing the number of colds and flus you get. They also think it could lower a child's risk of developing asthma. And speaking of kids, dogs have been found to help children develop. Yet my Instagram rules are all dogs and the most heartwarming are the ones showing the special relationship and bond between a child and a dog. So it is no wonder we are carving out space for them in our homes and businesses. So in conclusion, inviting a dog into your life can positively impact you. If you open your heart to relationship of authenticity, non judgment, loyalty and love. I promise you won't regret it. And one last thing before we wrap it up here since it is National Dog Day, I thought it would be good to leave you with some ways you can celebrate. Adopt a dog from your local shelter. Donate blankets and food to an Animal Welfare Association or organization. Have a portrait painted of your dog by your dog a fun new toy and watch him go. Go for a run or walk with your dog or any other fun exercise. You could go swimming to pamper your dog with affection massage or holistic spa treatment. Teach your dog a new trick by your dog, a fashionable collar and leash. Hire a professional photographer for a dog photoshoot. Or take your dog to the beach. So those are a few fun things that you can do with your dog and celebration of National Dog Day. And we're about to wrap it up. But I want to leave you with another story before we go. This story is about a guy and his dog. I was volunteering for Achilles International. So if you've listened to the podcast I have mentioned this organization before is a nonprofit for disabled athletes. And one of the athletes was an amputee. And he decided he wanted to get a dog. He saw a golden retriever, and the Golden Retriever was also an amputee. And at first, he rejected the dog because of his disability. And at the same time, the gentleman was talking to someone professionally. And this person asked him if rejecting the dog was a reflection of him rejecting himself. So he stopped and thought about it and he decided to move forward and adopt the golden with three legs. And a beautiful thing happened. Acceptance and healing began. They had an amazing bond and relationship and it was so fun to watch it grow and watch how they supported each other. Dogs really are a gift. And they really do have a way of finding people who need them. All right, well, let's wrap this app ending it the way I started it. If you're lucky, a dog will come into your life, steal your heart and change everything. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to the podcast and share with your family and friends. You can also give me a rating and review wherever you listen to your podcast. It helps others find me as well. To get updates on new episodes and wellness inspiration in your inbox. Please join the wellness inspired community. Go to the wellness inspired podcast.com to sign up. I'll also put the link in the show notes. So you can just click and join. I also have a Facebook community at the Wellness inspired and you can find me on Instagram at wellness underscore inspired. And as always, I would love to hear your feedback. I'm dedicated to bringing you great content that is inspiring and informative with an artsy fun and edgy spin. So thank you so much for listening. We'll meet here again next time. And remember, never stop exploring, learning loving and being you bye