Hidden Health Benefits to Disabled Guide Dog Handlers

Francesca Johansen is a research assistant in Animal Behaviour at the University of Bristol Veterinary School.  She presented research on the benefits of having a dog:

• A dog in the workplace results in more verbal cohesion, physical intimacy and cooperation
• A dog helps reduce stress and stress-related health issues
• Assistance dog owners had lower stress and anxiety during stroop test
• Owning a dog makes one feel less lonely and results in a 12% increase in levels of exercise
• Dog owners have lower heart rate, blood pressure and heart rate recovery
• When humans look at dogs they get an oxytocin (“the love hormone”) spike in the brain. The same effect occurs when dogs look at humans.