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The psychological benefits of animal-assisted therapy are numerous. Studies have found that this therapy really helps to ease anxiety and elevate mood, improve social and communication skills, facilitate independent living, and heighten empathy. In general, interactions with animals promote positive emotions, which in turn boost confidence and reduce loneliness, sadness, anger, and insecurity. Just petting a dog can help people feel less lonely and more positive about life in general. These positive feelings can assist in developing an environment of healing for people going through difficult times. As you can imagine, this makes animal-assisted therapy a useful treatment method for people who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Another interesting advantage of therapy dogs is that they can provide cognitive benefits to people. Studies performed on dementia patients who interacted with therapy dogs found that there was a decrease in the agitation and aggression found in many with dementia, along with an increase in verbal responses and engagement. Other studies have found that therapy dogs can be beneficial to cognitive development in children. For instance, children who are able to interact with a therapy dog have shown improved reading skills, memory, and problem-solving skills. The cognitive benefits provided by therapy dogs are evident in people of all ages and cognitive abilities. Of course, these are only a few of the many benefits that therapy dogs provide. The list will most likely grow as researchers continue to study the therapeutic impact of these animals on human beings. However, this research only serves to give us scientific evidence of what most dog lovers have been saying for thousands of years—that our canine companions offer us so much more than we initially intended them to. Not only are they able to help us in farming, hunting, guarding, and other endeavors, but they are also able to assist us in living happier and healthier lives.

Therapy Dogs

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