{"id":1709,"date":"2022-11-15T10:41:26","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T05:11:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/?p=1709"},"modified":"2022-11-15T10:41:28","modified_gmt":"2022-11-15T05:11:28","slug":"it-feels-like-dogs-know-just-when-we-need-them-most-well-they-might-experts-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/it-feels-like-dogs-know-just-when-we-need-them-most-well-they-might-experts-say\/","title":{"rendered":"It feels like dogs know just when we need them most. Well, they might, experts say"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When a family arrived at Koch Funeral Home in State College, Pennsylvania, to identify a loved one before cremation, Monroe took note \u2014 staying back to maintain the people\u2019s privacy but ready to offer comfort if asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monroe isn\u2019t a grief counselor or therapist. She\u2019s an Australian Shepherd and resident therapy dog at the funeral home, said Jackie Naginey Hook, a celebrant and end-of-life doula <\/a>there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe has this affinity toward people who might be experiencing grief,\u201d Hook said. \u201cShe is drawn to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure enough, when members of the family came out, they saw Monroe and asked to say hello, Hook said. Petting her opened them up to telling others about their loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some research has suggested that dogs \u2014 whether trained therapy and service animals or just friends in our homes \u2014 have a positive impact on human lives, said Colleen Dell, the research chair in One Health and Wellness and professor at the University of Saskatchewan.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just 10 minutes spent with a dog helped reduce patients\u2019 pain, according to a March study for which Dell<\/a> served as lead author.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People often don\u2019t talk about what they\u2019re going through when grieving, Hook said. The process of mourning is as unique to a person as a fingerprint, and many don\u2019t know how to be there for others who are going through it, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many people, dogs can offer intuitive, unconditional and loving support in times of grief, Dell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t give them the credit that\u2019s due,\u201d Dell said of the animals that provide needed support. \u201cWe don\u2019t understand them to the extent that we should. When you start to pull it apart, there\u2019s just so much going on there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love, cuddles and playtime<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are nuances to what people need when mourning a loved one, but generally family and friends should be present, offer hugs and listen without saying too much, Hook said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounds like a perfect job for a dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHealthy healing is really about giving yourself permission to feel what you\u2019re feeling,\u201d Hook said. \u201cOur bodies know how to heal from a cut, and we know how to deal with this, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily for us, dogs don\u2019t judge or have expectations, Dell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If someone has developed a strong bond and relationship with a dog, the animal is often able to intuit the emotions of those it loves, Dell said. It can mean the dog knows when to offer a gentle cuddle, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we lose a significant other \u2026 so many people say that coming home at the end of the day, coming home to an empty house is just hard,\u201d Hook said. \u201cHaving a dog there to greet you can make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or a dog can bring a little distraction with a bid for a game of fetch or a walk outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGetting up and going on a walk when you are grieving is incredibly difficult,\u201d Dell said. \u201cThey are really good at living in the moment. That takes us away from thinking in the past or even too much in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey want to go on a walk now; they want to play now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to think about before adopting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When grieving and considering a dog, it\u2019s important to think about how the animal would fit into your life and vice versa, Dell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe relationship we have with an animal is different than that which we have with a human,\u201d Dell said. There are more benefits in some ways but also more drawbacks, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a win-win situation when a dog can provide support and the owner can give the proper amount of care and attention, Dell said. But it helps to do your homework to find the right match and be prepared to make a long-term commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a dog can sometimes cause extra stress if it is going to be an added strain on time or financial resources to get veterinary care, a sitter for when you are away and training, Dell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dedicating time to learn how to train your dog can help it get the attention it wants and help you get more insight into building a solid bond that benefits you both, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are looking for a dog to keep you outside and active, look for a breed with a lot of energy. If you are busy but want a companion, maybe find a canine more inclined toward naps. If you travel, a carry-on size pooch is the way to go, Dell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often people grieving may find their patience lower \u2014 in which case consider a dog two years or older to avoid puppy antics, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often dogs become available through foster care after the death of an owner, Dell said. \u201cWhat a beautiful thing that would be,\u201d she said about fostering an animal. \u201cYou\u2019d really be helping each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if it isn\u2019t the right time for a dog?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But there are still ways to get the benefits from a furry friend without taking on any responsibility, Dell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pet belonging to a neighbor or family member can offer cuddles and play, she added. Or you can spend time in parks where dogs play or venues where therapy dogs might visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c(Grieving people) need to feel loved,\u201d Dell said. \u201cThese dogs (are) able to provide that in ways that have no strings attached.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volunteering with a shelter or rescue group can also bring joy, she said. Just spending time caring for dogs or taking them on a walk can make a huge difference, Dell added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re doing those things that are normal, that you never, ever think will feel normal again,\u201d she said. \u201cBut they do.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When a family arrived at Koch Funeral Home in State College, Pennsylvania, to identify a loved one before cremation, Monroe took note \u2014 staying back to maintain the people\u2019s privacy but ready to offer comfort if asked. Monroe isn\u2019t a grief counselor or therapist. She\u2019s an Australian Shepherd and resident therapy dog at the funeral […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[18,462,460,69,127,17,191,461,284],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1709"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1709"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1713,"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1709\/revisions\/1713"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wopp.in\/ns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}