Six ways to get more joy with your dog

These simple exercises can foster a deeper connection with your pet and improve your mental health By Stacey Colino March 9, 2024 at 11:11 a.m. EST The human-dog connection runs deep. Dogs are so tuned in to their people that they catch their human’s yawns — even if they simply hear the yawn rather than see it. “The […]

THERAPY DOGS BRING SMILES; REDUCE CADET STRESS

By Randy Roughton U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Cadet 3rd Class Nicolina Brown said she loves Go Team Therapy Crisis and Airport Dogs so much that she has a perfect answer whenever she’s late meeting friends. “I say, ‘you can’t blame me; there was a dog,’” Brown said. For 12 years, […]

‘Borrowing’ a dog is the best thing I’ve done for my mental health in months

Breaking news: I have discovered a mental health hack that really works. No, it is not yoga, meditation or breathwork. Nor is it not limiting blue light time before bed. It is not even sleeping for 10 hours a night and taking two baths a day a la Dakota Johnson. It is a tiny fluff ball […]

3 Ways Owning A Pet Can Improve Your Love Life

Pets are considered to be part of the family for many households in the U.S., with around 66% having a “fur-baby” of some kind. Many studies have shown that owning a pet can be incredibly beneficial for individual well-being. However, recent research has focused on the intricate role pets can play in romantic relationships. While it […]

Pets and other animals can boost health and well-being

When Percy Lee has a bad day, he hangs out with his chinchilla, Rin. “She’s like emotional support for me,” says the 14-year-old. Percy, who lives near Kansas City, Kansas, and is the author’s nephew, particularly enjoys snuggling with Rin and watching her explore. “When I get upset and overwhelmed, playing with her is one […]

Healing hooves: Equine therapy raises spirits of Veterans

Ranger and Dare are in the therapy business. Like many of their peers, they spend their days working with kids, people with disabilities and Veterans… when not eating grass and alfalfa. Ranger and Dare are American miniature horses for a North Texas non-profit that brings equine therapy to those who cannot travel to their home […]

What golden retrievers are teaching us about cancer

In September, Sara Fritz lost her six-year-old golden retriever, Emma, to an especially aggressive cancer called hemangiosarcoma. As a pet parent, she was heartbroken. As a practicing veterinary oncologist, she was frustrated. More than 60 percent of golden retrievers will develop cancer in their lifetimes, compared to about 25 percent of other breeds. “All dogs can develop […]

How one rabid kitten triggered intensive effort to contain deadly virus

At first, Madeline Wahl thought her new kitten was having a bad reaction to medication for ringworm. After each dose, he would shake his head and flail his legs. She and her husband, Rich, had brought the kitten to their house in a historic neighborhood in Omaha after a friend found the stray meowing in her driveway. […]

Equine-assisted therapy and therapeutic riding embraces the magic of human-horse bonds

The healing qualities of animal companionship are hard to deny. From veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to people who have seizures, all kinds of people can get help from animals to cope with different mental and physical issues. Emotional support dogs are a familiar concept to many, but medical professionals are also starting to […]

Three-Legged Therapy Dog Brings Hope to Children With Limb Differences at Kentucky Hospital

A three-legged therapy dog is bringing hope to kids with limb differences at Shriners Children’s Lexington in Kentucky. According to People, the rescue dog visits kids in the hospital and helps them feel more confident in their bodies. Wounded pup gets second chance No one would’ve predicted that Chance would become a therapy dog. He was found with a […]