Why Does Pet Therapy Work? (It's Not Just Cute Dogs)

Many studies have shown that pets can relieve anxiety, stress, and provide comfort, but why pet therapy is effective has a lot more to do with us than our furry pals.
Hosted by: Brit Garner
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REFERENCES
dogtime.com/trending/16765-pup...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2...
www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-li...
news.nationalgeographic.com/2...
www.npr.org/sections/health-s...
old.iss.it/publ/anna/2011/4/47...
www.karger.com/Article/FullTe...
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2...
time.com/47www.ncbi.nl...
link.springer.com/article/10....
Image Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florenc...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

[@matteussilvestre8583]

I never thought I'd hear the word "puppers" in a scientific video. Thanks, SciShow Psych!

[@TreespeakerOfTheLand]

There was literally a cat walking around the uni library half an hour ago :')

[@AifDaimon]

Solace The Satanist Girl Aaaawwwww...

[@Rafaelpotosino1]

Eat it

[@TreespeakerOfTheLand]

I get that. They told me it's been coming around for a 1.5 weeks now, so I guess you could call it a library cat >^-^

[@RosheenQuynh]

What the hell, @Kali Muscle AKA Chuck Basher G4P on a dayleee?! You must be insane.

[@moxiousch]

I really like this presenter! She has a really pleasant, engaging voice and way of speaking. She made pet therapy super interesting!

[@illiengalene2285]

In Germany there is a Alzheimer Station with Alpacas! I train to become a teacher for disabled students and train a AAT Rabbit! Her name is Béatrice! 😄🐰🐇

[@Master_Therion]

Pet therapy absolutely can work! It took a few therapy sessions, but my dog is much better now.

[@Master_Therion]

LOL Took me a minute to get it.

[@architeuthis3476]

...but is god to live in a dog?

[@kimbratton9620]

😆

[@GloryDaze73]

I trained my dog to be calm, and now he helps me so much during tough times when I struggle with chronic pain. We go outside together and people like to throw the ball for him, and then we start chatting... and so that helps me feel less isolated as well. Any loving animal can make such a positive change in a person's life!

[@jcherry875]

Had animal therapy. It was calming to cuddle little chickens and pigs.

[@Delluvian]

Hank: How about an episode about pet therapy? Brit: I like sharks. Hank: Well, I was thinking more of puppies and kittens. Brit: And sharks? Hank: No sharks. Brit: But I want sharks!!! Hank: Sharks are not therapeutic pets! Brit: How about just a small one? You know, in a tank? Hank: I said no! Brit: **pouts** Ok. But then I want to wear my shark shirt! Hank: **sigh** Fine... Brit: Yay!!!

[@jynxkizs]

LMAO

[@Call-me-Al]

Delluvian I want to believe

[@TheWitchKing456]

Sharks are nicer than a lot of humans

[@nathanandsugar5252]

​@@TheWitchKing456Most of them are none/mininal threat to people. Lemon and Nurse sharks seem like good boys and girls.

[@Nylak-Otter]

My mother handles therapy dogs for veterans, and I train individuals with PTSD or panic disorder to train their own service dogs. But I know ESA can be important, as well. My service dog literally saved my life, and continues to assist me on a regular basis. He works, but I know that just my interacting with/training him is as helpful as the medical service he provides. I like sharing that experience with other handler/dog teams. I know I am an extreme example, but I love working with animals, and when someone in distress benefits from training and socializing their animal, it makes everyone involved so much better.

[@ax3lia]

Watching this with my non-trained pupper giving me a hug and kisses. I suffer from severe generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and complex PTSD, and my pupper is always there to make me feel so much better.

[@caustic1611]

A few times when I've been in a psych hospital they've provided pet therapy, usually a poodle or golden retriever. I felt a noticeable difference after getting to pet the dogs and just chill with them. The hospital is such a cold, clinical setting but the warmth of an animal presence cuts through that negative atmosphere for me.

[@NewMessage]

And yet my suggestion to my therapist to try 'Heavy Petting Therapy' was met with nothing but a smirk.

[@thomasgabby6214]

Giggidy giggidy goo!

[@susannahXD]

I think it's because animals give us a sense of importance and responsibility because they are intrinsically reliant on us. Their dependence on us makes us step into the role of the responsible and capable adult, even when we might feel pretty hopeless or ineffectual in other situations in our life.

[@dorissaclaire]

Watching this while petting my cat after a doctor appointment and taking half a dozen medications. Pets definitely help 😊

[@thecreature7608]

No, it's cute cats to, and any other cute animal. Joking aside, really interested to learn about this. I have a pet dog, so learning about any way she can help me, be it now or in the future, is great

[@iReppoGames]

Can I cuddle with a velociraptor? Need to calm my nerves

[@BaconHer0]

You can cuddle the next best thing today, basically a chicken

[@dryboneskirby]

Bacon well you can go further and cuddle a hawk or an eagle

[@izzyxblades]

agreed, chickens are the closest thing, and I guess they actually aren't bad therapy animal

[@willythemailboy2]

I prefer a vat of scorpions

[@theincarnationofboredom207]

iReppo they're actually fairly small, so if one was alive and well trained you probably could.

[@bophadesnutz3313]

I got my pet boa, Cleo, right as I started felling the stress of how close I was coming to not graduating high school. But holding her, looking into those innocent eyes, watching her noodle about and explore the world.... It made all of that melt away. I love my lil girl

[@ChronicallyTT]

I've got a chinchilla who came with me across the country and I would never be able to get through life without. He's my little buddy and a mental health booster!

[@microbuilder]

Sounds like this ties into the "why does nature make you feel better" video pretty well.

[@xalyssa._]

When I’m around animals it helps me be happy and have energy 😊

[@KDiGee]

But I like tarantulas :(

[@plokijum]

Because they're furry

[@Moonsong227]

so apparently humans pack bonding to anything has an evolutionary purpose. now let's see someone try AAT with a roomba.

[@alittlebithailey5994]

IceLuxray Admiral Stabby!

[@naginoriette7857]

I volunteer every week at my local animal shelter, and after the cleaning and work is done, I usually spend an hour or so socializing with the cats (we have a cat wing and a dog wing, I work in the cat wing). It's amazing what spending some time with animals can do for mental health!

[@kellymaple4513]

I've been studying AAT while I qualify as a canine behaviourist. I really want to work with therapy dogs and service dogs in the future, as a trainer. There's a huge demand, and not nearly enough professionals.

[@YankeeOscarEchoLima]

I volunteer at a rescue place that puts abandoned and/or 'to be put down' cats and dogs up for adoption, as well as a horse ranch that provides riding as therapy (Equine Assisted Therapy). And I have to say, as someone who is currently dealing with the stress of studying for a university degree, I find both those jobs as therapeutic for me as it is for helping others. : )

[@InfansDeAter]

That shirt calmed my nervous self. Thanks!

[@illiengalene2285]

I start doing AAT with my rabbit at a day care centre for elderly people. Looking forward to it.

[@fromscratchauntybindy9743]

I've also seen visits between kindergarten children and toddlers with the elderly have a similar effect for the elderly. The littlies are non judgy because they're curious and sweet whilst the elderly enjoyed the chats, telling their well worn tales to new ears and in some cases feeling more productive again helping littlies (and vice versa)

[@izzyxblades]

Just to chime in with what she said about it being about the bond and research not determining the mechanism at work, it is well researched and documented that a non-judgmental, unconditionally supportive relationship is therapeutic, it is what Rogerian therapy aka human-centered therapy is based on and it is a therapeutic element that most all therapists use. Reminds me of the study where participants were asked to climb a steep slope and they rated how hard it looked to them. The study found that the same slope appears less daunting if you had a friend with you and who would climb it with you. I think all of these examples share the same psychological mechanism, that humans are mentally stronger when they have a supportive bond with someone or something. I suspect this also applies to people who have a personal bond with their Higher Power.

[@PuppyLuv2504]

Topic idea...actors and actresses that play a couple, only to become a real life couple...how often does that happen and why?

[@iliketojumpoffplanes]

PuppyLuv2504 Showmance psychology!! Love it :)

[@ZamanSiddiqui]

3:49 Anyone else think of Robo Puppy from Futurama?

[@planets9102]

I'd rather have the tarantula, i have one myself and she's super cute, spiders are underrated!

[@RandyJames22]

What about dogs that have been mistreated before -- perhaps by a male? Dogs _can_ be prejudicial. In these situations, I've been stressed by their presence. But overall, pets are indeed a stress reliever.

[@AnnikaVictoria24]

My dog helps me so much with my chronic pain and illness 😭🐶

[@peteraustin9715]

Meeting an empathic, caring, non-judgmental person has a similar effect.

[@justsomerandominternetuser6379]

I'm autistic and epileptic and i have lupus and fibromyalgia and I have a therapy dog. Her name is Shelby. She is awesome!

[@coughdrop01]

that wasn't at my college and now I feel very deprived

[@wolfferoni]

What about those kids plush toys that make sounds when you hug them and have basic movements? Would those be considered robot animals?

[@kayedramallama]

Really good little video.

[@EmberDragonFireXD]

Bit of a long response here, sorry. Question: what, if any, are the known effects of having inanimate comfort animals/objects on their own, instead of being contrasted to living animals (eg having a stuffed animal vs not having one in a stressful situation)? I know I felt better during finals having my stuffed tiger on my lap, but I wonder if it had to do more with personal emotional connection (placebo effect?) rather than just having the object itself, and I know one person's story makes for an anecdote and not a case study. I'm also curious as to whether there are certain demographics that respond better to stuffed toys than others; I know I (an autistic person) seem to benefit more from having a stuffed animal with me and feel more comfortable in public, whereas my (non-autistic) sister doesn't get it.

[@SzDavidHUN]

There was an exam, which made me very stressful. Then I met with two squirrels. I walked further with the calmness of a capybara, and a smile with the size of the capybara :D

[@samhansen9771]

Id be like "oh cool, a turatula! Where?" In second grade someone brought a nice rose turantula in to class, and I haven't been afraid of them since.

[@RickySTT]

So, does this work on people (like me) who get super nervous around dogs and cats? Does the type of animal matter? I do not get nervous around lizards or spiders.

[@spiralpython1989]

Watching KZbin whilst my kids are at an AAT centre interacting with farm animals.... meantime I am sitting in sunshine with my dogs...

[@danielbickford3458]

"Animal companions won't judge you" apparently you don't have a cat

[@krrowthemyuii]

Please do a video on ASMR!

[@ks7688]

T. VanEeckhoutte they already have

[@krrowthemyuii]

Huh . . . I'd better go look for that! Oh, it's on SciShow, not SciShow Psych. No wonder I didn't see it!

[@SciShowPsych]

Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/baCVeIVqlt57ecU

[@architeuthis3476]

I'm surprised oxytocin wasn't mentioned. Oxytocin isn't just linked to breast feeding and orgasms - those are just the most intense connections oxytocin forms - its also linked to hugging, shaking hands, and yes, even petting animals. Studies indicate a lack of oxytocin causes a number of mood and neurological disorders, and doing things like playing with a dog literally relieve certain kinds of stress.

[@MyPisceanNature]

My girl kitty is dangerously smart, and she seems to know when my depression is going to hit me, before I do.

[@LePedant]

I've never understood why people get stressed out over exams. Although, I'm happy they do cause I get to see puppies!!!!

[@marahaslam5859]

I want a shark shirt.

[@channychan3558]

What are the potential effects of these interactions on the animals? Is there any research done on that?

[@annabelandrew3204]

right now time to show my parents to help my chanses in getting a dog

[@RaeneDroppe]

I'm disabled with a therapy pupper. I'm able to calm enough to go outside for short periods with her at my side. My life was one of anxiety and solitude before her.

[@Ausgar-yc1yl]

Your dog is not a therapy animal, it is an emotional support animal. Therapy animals do NOT work for one person, they only work with many people in institutional settings like hospitals, schools and nursing.

[@beaconofwierd1883]

Animals do judge people! I once tried to pet a horse through an electric fence while drunk on the way home, the horse went up to me so I started to pet it's face, then my arm touched the electric fence and both me and the horse got a shock and the horse ran away, giving me the most judgemental stare in my life! Every time I walk past that horse I can see how it judges me for that one drunken mistake :(

[@spacerapter]

That horse is definitely plotting it's revenge. If it one day walks up to you, looking as if it has forgiven you and wants to be pet, be very suspicious. Most likely as soon as your arm goes through the fence the horse will bite onto it and pin it against the electric wire, the horse will have figured that with it being much larger than you, you'll fry long before it will. The last thing you'll ever hear is it's manical laughter of sweet revenge.

[@jynxkizs]

Robot: Would you like to play a game... of bonding?

[@nahidadabi2154]

Thank you

[@TheTwick]

Can I have a rhinoceros?

[@nicolasgilly1452]

I want to love a porcupine!!!

[@kimbratton9620]

It's because animals love you unconditionally!!!

[@secretaltruism4174]

The main difference with the robots vs plush toys is that the robots respond to specific cues - when you pat it's head, it makes happy noises and movements; when you pat it's tail, it makes annoyed noises and movements.

[@nicqueen125]

😻

[@downsidebrian]

After watching this video, I turned to my dog, hugged him, and said, "Did you hear that boy? The lady in the video says you reduce cortisol levels. Yes, you do, buddy!" I guess that doesn't sound as cute as it is.

[@Norimarisu]

Shout Out at all my ADHD peeps who's pets have a better internal clock so they keep you on a type of routine by having to care for them.

[@Niamhnyx]

Brit, was that you with the horse? If it was, you look so blissful!

[@custos3249]

There's also been research on whether the size of the dog makes a difference. In short, avoid small, harder to train dogs like pugs, papillons, and chihuahuas.

[@SaucerJess]

💙

[@TheDragorin]

my psyc professor did a big study on this and found when young children given math questions to solve in front of a crowd actually had higher cortisol levels when a dog was nearby.

[@SayHelloHelli]

I got like 30% better when I got home from the hospital and I had my cat back with me. She’s the best.

[@corginator7407]

Not enough dog pictures

[@IL0vePcxD]

I think this should be named human assisted therapy. Let's be honest, the animals do the heavy lifting while the human doesn't really do anything.

[@sarabaker6014]

I have a therapy duck. She's awesome.

[@sarabaker6014]

Well, that's how she had to be registered to be in city limits (ducks are technically farm animals) and she's done wonders for my mental health. Also I'm the only human she likes (loves our dogs though).

[@nohsara]

lol I wouldn't get upset if I was asked to hold a tarantula anyway. They're pretty cool, and sorta cute

[@gabijagorobecaite8037]

My dog proves how musch she loves me by her behavior. Her smile she makes while I talk to her, her eager to be close to me, her sadness when I go out and happyness when I come back leaves no doubts

[@LiftPizzas]

Probably related to the reason that being surrounded by nature also makes us feel better. Maybe some day humans will figure out that living in cities is stupid.

[@TuberoseKisser]

Lift Pizzas but it's actually beneficial, you have more protection in cities

[@thered1493]

Jane Doe Deer but then you get lazier and lazier,...and cities are generally waaaaaaaay less healthy to live in than nature....so technically, yes you are protected from wild animals but you're creating new threats that you have to deal with while being stressed and looking at an ugly, gray view outside

[@abdulazizrushdi9154]

Question : when we say nature, we're not being specific to trees, are we? So desert views are supposed to have a similar effect?

[@abdulazizrushdi9154]

Probably should've asked this on their previous video....

[@seabb]

What, so should everyone live on a farm in the middle of Nowhereville? Or should we all be in sprawling suburbans so we can commute 3 hours to work and have an even larger CO2 footprint per person? Cities aren’t that bad, so long as there are plentiful parks and sidewalks.

[@cyanidejack1013]

I have a 12 yo male cat who is a big cat. He has a fat belly and he lives belly rubs. When he meets people he flops to the ground and rolls over on his back. Then he purrs away. I'm really sorry I didn't train him to be a therapy cat. He would have been great at it.

[@nohsara]

too bad I actually get more stressed trying to find time to go see the dogs that are sometimes brought in on my campus

[@nohsara]

also everyone is always crowded around the like 3 dogs that are brought, trying to get at least one head pat in amongst all the ppl trying to squeeze in

[@EloquentTroll]

I am considering an emotional support honey badger. They're less cuddly than a cat, but my anxiety will be so much better when it mauls the people who stress me out

[@izurielpalanayukei5140]

Pet therapy- another thing you don't need on a plane! :)

[@elliesmile8939]

If I ever need therapy again, I want this therapy!! haha

[@JacksonAnimation8]

Ellie Smile How about 3D animated dog therapy? Check out my 3D animated videos about me a space dog. Thanks.

[@elliesmile8939]

Jackson Reviews Animation haha ok

[@NoOne-wt3sv]

How does one become a pet therapist

[@watcherfox9698]

Plush animals have long been used to soothe and relax children. I suspect the reason they wouldn't be as effective for adults is likely because most adults think themselves too old for that kind of thing.

[@srawberRyluvver]

What college do I have to go to for finals therapy dogs that's the real question here

[@dazai9343]

Im getting a kitten and i have anxiety can my cat help me with that and how?

[@ivanasjuejfjw828]

😒

[@SayHelloHelli]

Sic show: “-even animal farms-“ Me: *highschool flashback* 🐷🐷🐷🙊🙉🙈🔪🐴

[@pdaphuulz8219]

i'd like one android pet too.

[@premier69]

i wonder how much the ancient times limited Misses Nightingale, i wonder if she lived today she'd be a neurologist. how much talent has been wasted throughout the times?

[@mykulpierce]

If someone's neutral about animals sees improvements how can you make an argument about a "bond"? Doesn't it seem clear that something else is going on?

[@lazyperfectionist1]

How does the notion of a tarantula as a pet square with the notion that people tend to _resemble_ their pets?

[@GlenHunt]

Dogs feel better after petting me.

[@Silverwing28]

Pet therapy for college students? Not in my country. :(

[@DandyParrott]

Answer this: Why don't other species regularly seek out different species as [non-symbiotic] companions or "pets". Why is it only the norm in humans to do this?

[@Kingatje]

Dan and Candace Parrott To my limited understanding, they in fact do that. There are many examples of animals living in symbiotic relationships, and friendships too. I mostly know of anecdotes, though, no scientific articles... sorry.

[@lauragadille3384]

My cat saved my life. I suffer from chronic depression and anixety. She helps with my demons.

[@robbyabrar3534]

Sorry,, I wanna ask,, Have u been eat antianxiety and antidepresan medicine?? Now ,i on med for 6 year,,i do not have a pet at my hause ..

[@NewMessage]

I see she's wearing her school clothes today.

[@samgeorge4798]

New Message nice

[@Ian-bf4yk]

How are they school clothes.

[@samgeorge4798]

Ian school of fish

[@symoneontheinternet]

Second!

[@chloedicken8253]

Does Pet Therapy Work? (It's Not Just Cute Dogs love you

[@benrhodes6398]

Why do we like music that makes us sad?

[@Jebbtube]

This therapy is probably counterproductive if you're allergic to many of these beasts.

[@danboyle116]

Sorry if I seem insensitive, but I have a question. Am I the only one who thinks that giving a robot dog to a dementia patient is just really mean?

[@Kingatje]

Dan Boyle I suppose it proves that our perceptions make up a lot, lot more of our world than facts do... But I also see your point.

[@thstroyur]

2:53 Get a room, these two

[@GenderCommie]

Third