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It can improve your physical health
Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in the United States. Fortunately, petting your dog or cat may improve your heart health. Pet ownership in general is associated with more physical activity and better weight management in people. This makes sense because pet owners are encouraged to be more active by walking their dogs or playing with their cats. However, specifically petting a dog is associated with lower heart rate and lower blood pressure, both of which are beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Research has also shown that petting your dog may be beneficial for your immune system. A healthy immune system is crucial to protect us from harmful microorganisms and diseases. One study in particular showed that after petting a dog, people had significantly higher levels of the immune antibody known as IgA.
So the next time your dog or cat comes up to you for physical affection, give them extra cuddles and be grateful that they are helping to improve your overall physical health.
It positively impacts your mood and combats loneliness
Hugging can decrease a person’s anxiety (including social anxiety), stress, and negative emotions, while simultaneously providing social support. This is because hugging releases the neurotransmitters known as dopamine and serotonin, which serve many important functions, one being mood regulation. Similarly, hugging your pet can boost your mood and help with depression, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness.
The mental health benefits that pets can provide are reflected by the efficacy of emotional support animals (ESA’s) and animal-assisted therapy (AAT). Although they are not service dogs, emotional support animals may be appropriate for certain people who struggle with anxiety, depression, or phobias. Similarly, animal-assisted therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the power of human-animal interactions to improve people’s health and well-being.
In addition to improving our mental health, petting an animal can even increase our brain activity! Research has shown increased brain activity in people when they were petting a live animal, including dogs, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Petting an animal led to activation in the prefrontal cortex, which plays an important role in regulating attention, memory, and problem-solving. The prefrontal cortex is also involved in emotional arousal. People displayed greater emotional involvement in activities involving a dog. This is exciting because it suggests that activities that incorporate animals may potentially improve a person’s learning capacity and motivation.
Hugging your pet decreases stress
In a world where it seems there is an ever-increasing emphasis on productivity and achievement, high levels of stress are taking a toll on our mental health as a society. If you’re feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, don’t underestimate the power of your pet when it comes to managing stress.
Research shows that petting a cat or dog for as little as 10 minutes can reduce your stress levels. Previous studies have demonstrated significantly lower levels of the stress hormone known as cortisol after participants spent time petting or playing with animals. Although most of us are familiar with the stress-relieving benefits that therapy dogs can have for people, we often forget that the beloved pets in our very own homes are working hard to make us feel calmer and loved every day.
Cuddling strengthens the bond between you and your pet
Gentle physical touch is a crucial means of bringing you and your pet closer together. The strengthening of this human-animal bond is in large part facilitated by oxytocin.
Oxytocin is a hormone whose main job is to facilitate childbirth. However, oxytocin also encourages bonding between mothers and their offspring. From this, we can infer that oxytocin also promotes bonding between an animal and its owner. Oxytocin, also sometimes referred to as the “love drug” is released when we experience gentle touch. This love hormone also helps reduce stress by decreasing cortisol and blood pressure.
Research has shown that when dogs and their owners interact, both the dogs and their owners experience an increase in oxytocin levels. Therefore, taking time to share physical affection with your pet benefits both of you. A lack of physical engagement with your pet can lead to behavioral issues or changes in your pet such as decreased activity levels, changes in appetite, or anti-social or withdrawn demeanor, further emphasizing the importance of physically connecting with your pet.
Regular physical interaction keeps you up-to-date with your pet’s health
Making a daily practice of physically interacting with your furry friend through petting or cuddling allows you to examine your pet’s body for any physical changes. For example, petting your dog may help you identify masses, skin changes, or sources of pain or discomfort.
Get into the habit of inspecting your pet more closely while rubbing his belly or scratching behind his ears. Some animals aren’t particularly fond of a full-body physical examination. But pairing this examination process with the enjoyable experience of being cuddled is an effective way to use positive reinforcement to make it a stress-free experience for your pet.
Petting your companion animal daily will keep you aware of any changes or abnormalities so you can seek veterinary care as soon as possible. Unfortunately, our pets cannot explicitly tell us when something is wrong or when they’re feeling sick. Therefore, as pet owners, we must be observant and look for signs or symptoms that may indicate an underlying health issue. Regularly hugging and petting your fur baby facilitates earlier recognition of a problem and thus, faster intervention and treatment success.
Some final thoughts
Remember, pets are like people in that each pet is different in terms of how much and what type of physical touch they desire and are comfortable with. Tailor your petting and cuddling sessions to your pet’s unique personality and preferences.
We all have busy schedules. It’s not that we don’t have the time to cuddle our pets. We just have to make a conscious effort to prioritize making time to hug our pets. Strive to set aside at least 10 to 15 minutes each day to provide physical affection to your fur baby.
Hugging your pet is a beautiful way to express love and appreciation for him and has important benefits for both you and your pet. Rather than viewing hugging your pet as something you should do or have to do, reframe it as something you are excited or blessed to do.
Dr. Amanda Takiguchi received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Colorado State University. After that, she completed additional training at Texas A&M through a small animal rotating internship. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Takiguchi studied dance and business management at Columbia University in New York City. She primarily works with dogs and cats but also loves exotic species like rabbits. Her favorite animal that has worked with is the native Hawaiian owl. When she is not promoting animal welfare, Dr. Takiguchi still loves to dance, with training in multiple styles including hip hop, ballet, and tap.
