If you’ve ever spent an afternoon with a dog and felt better, you’re not alone. It turns out that there are millions of people who find four-legged furry animals highly therapeutic. In fact, the results are so remarkable; it’s left many people wondering whether pooches can take the place of their therapist. After all, they seem to know just which psychological buttons to press.

What Are Therapy Dogs?

Therapy dogs are essentially pups that go to live full time in people’s homes to offer support to lonely or vulnerable people. Some of them have training not to bark loud. But for the most part, they’re regular pets, providing their undying support, no matter what you’re going through.

Therapy dogs also make the occasional appearance in schools, hospices, nursing homes, and hospitals. When people are going through a rough time, they’re there to offer consolation and a hug. Things can get tough in life. But these pooches remind you things are going to be okay.

Can Therapy Dogs Really Boost Your Health?

People are skeptical that therapy dogs can boost people’s health. Surely it’s all in the mind? It must be a placebo effect, they say.

Researchers, however, beg to differ. When they look at patients with mental health issues like anxiety, they almost always find evidence of improvements in their condition. Even people with degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s can benefit.

The underlying reason appears to relate to our sensation of stress. When we feel happy, our brains release chemicals like oxytocin and dopamine in large quantities. These immediately relax us and give us the sense that we contend with our lives. Touching dogs’ fur appears to elicit a similar response to what we get when we touch each other. Except, when it’s an animal, there’s no awkwardness or need to ask permission. You just go ahead and do it.

Ultimately, though, the specific mechanism doesn’t matter. If a dog makes someone feel better than staring at a blank wall, why not include them in their wellness regime?

Getting A Therapy Dog

So, now we get to the million-dollar question: should you get a therapy dog?

Owning a therapy dog is a life-long commitment and not something you should decide to do on a whim. You have to be prepared to look after them when they’re young and old, administering pet CBD for their aching joints.

So long as you’re okay with that, you can usually find therapy dogs listed on the web. Online directories typically provide details of breeders and trainers who focus specifically on selling pooches with therapeutic characteristics.

If you have a dog already, you can also learn how to train them to be a therapy dog. Once certified, you can take them to nursing homes and introduce them to the residents.

Some breeds are better at becoming therapy dogs than others. Most large breeds, including golden retrievers and labradors, are good choices. Smaller dogs are okay, but you need to be aware of temperament. Yappy breeds aren’t the best choice.