Playing With a Dog Could Be the Perfect Stress Reliever For You Both!

Though unlikely to come as a surprise to dog lovers, playing with dogs for just 15 minutes has recently been shown to reduce stress. A new study, conducted by researchers in Thailand, has examined the impact of pet dogs on the stress levels of university students, and the results are heartening. The students reported decreased stress levels after playing with a friendly dog, while physical health checks of indicators like cortisol, the stress hormone, offer exciting proof of this. What’s more, interacting with humans reduced the stress levels in the pooches too, as reported on PHYS.

As a separate recent World Health Organization (WHO)-supported study of over 20,000 students across nine countries confirms, the vast majority (93.7 percent) of respondents had at least one type of stress rated as at least mild, so it appears that the study’s decision to focus on students is a well-suited choice of population segment.

Zooming in on the Research
The new study, called The Impact of Canine-Assisted Intervention on Stress Reduction Among University Students in Thailand, was conducted at Chiang Mai University’s Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Humanities, together with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and the Chiang Mai University Library, in Thailand.

For the study, which took place at the library, researchers recruited six emotionally stable dogs trained to react positively to people, and aged between three and six years old, to play with stressed-out college students. It took place during their high-pressure pre-exam study week, as Professor Korakot Nganvongpanit, dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and lead author of the study into student stress, tells the Bangok Post.

The canine participants included five chihuahuas raised by veterinarians, and a Shetland sheepdog raised by a psychologist. None of these dogs had been certified for therapy work, nor had they taken part in any study previously. Their owners were also not present during the play sessions.

Before they interacted with the dogs, 122 students completed questionnaires assessing their stress levels, had their blood pressure and pulse taken, and provided a saliva sample for cortisol testing. This is a hormone, according to the Cleveland Clinic, that climbs when we are tense, and goes down when we feel relaxed.

After being briefed on the pooch’s name, personality, and preferred interactions, the students went on to play with one of the dogs for 15 minutes. There were no further instructions, however. They  could pet the dogs, give treats, hug and play with the pooches freely.

The Salve of Human-Canine Interaction
The results of what the researchers term “emotional co-regulation” between the humans and dogs in diffusing stress in a high-pressure situation were impressive. Following their interaction with the canines, the students were again tested to gauge their stress levels. These physical tests showed a lower heart rate, and improved cortisol levels. 

Additionally, the students’ self-reported improvements in stress levels following the play sessions were pleasing too: “Compared to immediately before, students’ self-reported stress levels decreased by 33.5% after interacting with the dog,” the researchers shared, as reported in Vet Practice.

In the study, the researchers also speak of the dogs providing a positive distraction from the pressure of studies, and even the positive impact of the anticipation of playing with loving dogs on the wellbeing of participants.

“Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the beneficial impact of human-dog interactions on human stress levels and highlight the importance of addressing stress in both humans and animals during targeted interventions,” the study authors concluded.

Significantly too, the study shows that mere short interactions between humans and dogs can bring relief. Senior investigator, Jaruwan Khonmee, of the Chiang Mai University Thailand, is quoted by Health and Me as saying “Even brief interactions with dogs can significantly reduce stress levels among university undergraduate students.”

And for the dogs, too, playtime was beneficial. Their cortisol levels were at lower levels a week after they hung out with the students, the researchers reported.