The Healing Power of Dogs

Therapy dogs serve as professional comforters to those who need them most. And after the horrific shooting that occurred in the Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, there was an abundance of children and adults who needed comfort and care that these professionally trained therapy dogs were ready to provide. Read on to find out how nine specially trained golden retrievers provided healing powers to these survivors in ways only a canine can.

Four-Legged Emotional Counselors

Therapy dogs had previously been used to help victims after the 2008 shooting at Northern Illinois University, which prompted the idea to bring them in for the survivors of Sandy Hook. The response to these therapy dogs was immediately a positive one, with many children talking directly to the dogs in a way you would expect them to with counselors.

Although many dog handlers have backgrounds in counseling, they explained that one of the biggest parts of their training is actually learning how just to be quiet. In a crisis situation, they explained, you might feel the need to give advice or answers, but typically those who are hurting want to be able to express themselves freely. To those children, these dogs are seen as excellent listeners who don’t judge, talk back to, or rush the children in their healing process. Instead, these dogs exhibit a sense of unconditional love and understanding.

The Extraordinary Bond Between Humans and Dogs

We know that dogs are excellent when it comes to making us feel better, but why is that? Well, to start, it’s important to note that the human-canine bond goes back thousands of years. Once we began living in settlements, wolves (who dogs descend from) started to attract to us – mostly due to our delicious source of garbage they could eat from. This then made living near humans beneficial for wolves for the first time. Additionally, since less aggressive wolves could accomplish this change more effectively, they essentially domesticated themselves over time.

Another interesting thing to note about our canine companions is that they are the only species that generally do not display xenophobia signs (the fear of strangers). In fact, it was actually found that dogs were xenophilic (they love strangers). This is just another testament to why dogs tend to be so good with people.

On top of dogs having an extensive background as well as a natural connection with us, they also provide us with physical benefits. Through the simple action of petting a dog, a person can experience a decrease in their stress hormones, regulation in their breathing, and lower blood pressure. Research has shown that petting a dog can also release oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, which can help create a bond.

Dogs Might Be Able to Demonstrate Empathy

Dogs are naturally social animals and have been known to respond to our moods and emotions with sensitivity. In a study that observed canines’ reactions when confronted with a person pretending to cry, they found that dogs would come over to nuzzle or lick the crying person whether it was their owner or a stranger. While this may not give definite proof that dogs can display empathy, it does benefit the idea.

It may seem too simple to use dogs as a way of comforting those who are grieving, but researchers say that the simplicity of it all is actually what makes the connection between canines and humans so powerful.