5 Reasons to Hug Your Dog Daily
It’s a proven fact that hugging your pet is healthy for you! Did you know that hugging your pet relieves stress, builds the immune system, and makes for a better night’s sleep?
Famous quote by psychotherapist Virginia Satir states, “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”
The next time your dog runs up to you when walking through the front door or your cat cuddles up next to you – let the hug fest begin! Not only will your pet feel loved, but you are improving your daily health. Note; if your pet darts away from you and gives you a look of not again – moderate hugging might be the best medicine until it gets use to all the new lovin’.
Here Are The Top 5 Reasons You Must Hug Your Pet:
1. Hugging your pet releases the natural “feel good” hormone we all carry called Oxytocin. This loving hormone promotes stress reduction, contentment, and lowers heart rates and cortisol levels.
2. Show me the love! The gesture of hugging is a nonverbal way of expressing the love you feel for your pet (although your dog might still prefer the almighty treat now and then).
3. A furry embrace and affection prevents disease by minimizing a pet parent’s stress and helps to decrease pain.
4. When you share a hug with your furry four-legged family member (works on the two-legged members as well), your pet will feel secure, empowered, and a higher level of self-esteem. Your alpha dog will definitely feel like the top canine at the dog run after a huge hug!
5. The medicinal value in hugging your pet is worth howling about! Who knew – it stimulates the thymus gland which balances the body’s production of white blood cells keeping us healthy, stimulates the brain’s release of dopamine which reduces depression and activates pleasure, and releases endorphins and serotonin which also promotes pleasure and reduces pain! Feeling good yet!
Our pets are certainly the healthy gift that keeps on giving…Whether they’ve lost a dear one (furry and not), or just plain feel blah…hugging your pet (and people) might relieve any stress, depression or tension you’re feeling. This is also the perfect time to adopt and rescue a shelter animal looking for a loving home! Check out the link below or go to our adopt page