A Canine in Your Corner
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Everyone who has a dog knows how much they can enrich your life. We talk to them, play with them, cuddle with them, and try our best to understand them. But it’s not a one-way street. An avalanche of research confirms what every dog-loving person already knows—dogs do more for us than we do for them.
Therapy dogs have been shown to be very effective in combating feelings of loneliness, anxiety, isolation, and depression commonly experienced by cancer patients.
But you don’t need a certified therapy dog to reap the benefits of doggy love. The soothing feeling of petting a dog releases endorphins, which improve mood and relieve stress. One study found that just being around pets leads to lower blood pressure and faster recovery.
Having a dog to talk to can give patients a way to express what they’re feeling without judgement or fear, and taking care of a dog provides a welcome distraction from treatments and doctor appointments, provides motivation to get better, and best of all, provides an endless supply of laughter and love.
The Smell Test
Dogs not only help their humans during cancer treatment and recovery, they might eventually be able to help even earlier. A dog's sense of smell is 1,000 times better than a human's, and in some studies, dogs have been able to detect cancer by smell.