At the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, the gymnasts had a furry friend by their side, providing comfort and calm: Beacon, a 4-year-old golden retriever who is a new member of USA Gymnastics and holds the title of “Most Valuable Athlete.” (Yes, that's an official title; she wore a badge of honor at the Minneapolis competition.)
Hiring Beacon and other dogs for major events is part of a larger effort to rebuild USAG and put athletes first after scandal rocked the organization, according to the Associated Press. Gymnast Jocelyn Roberson told The New York Times that bringing in therapy dogs is “the best thing USA Gymnastics can do for us.”
Beacon's handler, Tracy Callahan Molnar, a former gymnast and coach, says their job is a huge privilege. “We have a front row seat to witness their commitment to excellence and the collaborative efforts they make to get there,” she shared on Instagram after the trials. “I'm so proud that USA Gymnastics has introduced pet therapy to their sport, and not only has they done so, but truly embraced and supported it.”
The benefits of pet therapy go beyond Matt: studies have shown that therapy dogs can provide very real benefits to people in all sorts of stressful situations, whether they're grieving a loss, being hospitalized for an illness, dealing with PTSD, feeling embarrassed at school or competing in the Olympics.
If you're wondering, here's what experts say about the therapeutic benefits of dogs and how you can harness the healing powers of your pets.
What are Therapy Dogs?
Becoming a therapy dog requires training and a certification process, but any breed can do it. potential Linda Keane, a certified trainer and therapy dog evaluator at Positive Canine Training and Services, tells Yahoo Life that you need to own a dog to fulfill that role. “A pet dog is everyone's dog,” she explains. “If I go to visit a friend who's not feeling well, that's still my dog. Therapy dogs are trained and tested to act as a comfort and companion for people other than their owners.”
Service dogs are separate from pets and Therapy dogs are highly trained to perform specific tasks to alleviate a person's disability, and are the only group allowed in public spaces. There aren't many qualifications required for a therapy dog. They must demonstrate good obedience skills and be able to remain calm and gentle in almost all situations, but they don't have to perform specific tasks. Other than that, personality and temperament are much more important than specific abilities to be a good therapy dog. If you want your pet to provide therapy services, you should consider the following: Wish “The dog does the work,” Keene said. They are generally friendly but not overly excitable dogs who like people.
What are the benefits of therapy dogs?
A growing number of studies show that the benefits are numerous: College students report feeling better after interacting with therapy dogs; for emergency department patients, dogs tend to act as non-invasive (as long as you don't mind personal space) furry pain relievers; and children experience notable stress reduction after snuggling with a puppy. Pairing veterans with PTSD with more highly trained service dogs has also shown great results.
Experts say they see these benefits reflected in scientific reports and in their own practice, but more research is needed. “Often, people feel really loved by the dog,” says Colleen Dell, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan who has studied the effects of therapy dogs and collaborated with them. “The literature has shown an increase in love hormones, like oxytocin, which makes us feel really good.”
Simply petting a dog has the same neurochemical effect as running a stress response through your body: It softens the keratin of the hormone cortisol, lowers your blood pressure a little, and spreads the warm glow of oxytocin, the love hormone, all over the place. And yes, it's research. “Whether dogs are visiting prisons, universities, emergency departments, or even Olympic-hoping athletes, they're stress-relieving,” says Dr. [therapy dog] “The purpose of the program is to provide comfort and support,” Dell said, and independent research has substantiated these benefits.
Keene adds that therapy dogs not only relieve stress and anxiety, but also have a “very intuitive” sense of who needs support: “Dogs can pick up on a change — whether it's a smell or a change in body language — but they know that you need something,” she says.
Does your dog (or someone else's dog) have therapeutic benefits?
It's important that a dog is trained and certified before its owner takes it out to provide comfort and support to strangers, but a dog that is comfortable with its owner and wants to be petted, played with and generally loved can be a stress reliever.
“Part of being with a dog is living in the moment,” Dell says. For example, the process of introducing an inmate to a therapy dog during a visit involves a form of mindfulness practice: Dell instructs the inmate to “gently stroke the dog from the head to the back, then do it again, and breathe and regulate their breathing with the dog.”
Dogs, especially young ones, can also help engage their humans in play, something “adults don't do a lot,” but can benefit, Dell adds, and for both dog and human, spending time together in any form, whether that's playing, training, walking, or just sitting on the couch together, is a reward in itself, she adds.
Caring for an animal isn't always fun, but it can also be a good thing. “Whether it's a therapy dog, a pet, or a service dog, there's a lot of care involved. You have to go out in the morning and walk the dog, feed them at a certain time, brush their teeth… Sometimes it's easier to create your own routine around the dog,” Dell says. This can be especially helpful for seniors and those who suffer from depression.
But the most important health benefits will have to be felt behind your own ears and in your dog's tummy: “Some of them can't be measured, some can't even be put into words,” Dell says.
