Where to Pet Your PoochIn general, canines prefer being rubbed on the the chest, shoulder and base of the tail. Your dog may have additional special places where he likes to be stroked, such as on the base of his neck or between his ears. There are also sensitive areas where your hands are less welcome: Touching his ears, paws, end of tail, top of head, muzzle or belly could upset your dog. Specific situations in which your dog must tolerate being handled in these places, like
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What hormone is released when petting a dog?
Cortisol is not the only hormone affected by playing with your pet.
Another university study found that petting a dog for just 15 minutes boosts the so-called “feel-good” hormones, serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin, and even lowers blood pressure by 10%.
Given that anti-depressants often work by raising serotonin levels in the brain, its easy to see why stroking a dog can be a real mood-booster.
A further study found that petting any living creature, even a turtle, reduced anxiety in participants to a significant extent.
No wonder, then, that pet therapy is on the rise, with specially trained labradors, golden retrievers and spaniels among the hounds being taken into hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, schools and universities to boost peoples moods and reduce their stress levels.
Experts noted that one interesting aspect of the study was the increased effect of multiple sessions with a dog.
Dr. Joey R. Gee, a neurologist with Providence Mission Hospital in Orange County, California, told Healthline that dog-assisted therapies are “valuable for many chronic disorders and may be employed in settings where ‘calming’ is needed, such as with children and in long-term care facilities.”
First, the participants could see the dog, then sit beside it, and finally pet it before returning to a neutral state. None of the participants had any dog allergies or phobias.
As an example, Dr. Summers pointed out that Labradors are the most common dog breed for therapeutic visitation animals, but none were included in this study.
The plush had similar effects but only at first. Researchers said that as participants returned for more sessions, the difference in brain activity between dog and plush sessions significantly increased.