a naturally balanced dog

Dog therapy what is it? What dogs are used in dog therapy?

Date of the last update:19.04.2024

In todays busy world, we are looking for a variety of forms of therapy that not only provide mental relief, but also bring joy and pleasure. One of the most fascinating practices is dog therapy, which uses the unique bond between humans and dogs to improve mental and physical health.

Table of contents:

1. What is dog therapy?
2. What does dog therapy help with?
3. Benefits of dog therapy
4. What dog breeds are used in dog therapy?
5. Summary

You can read this article in 3 minutes.

What is dog therapy?

Dog therapy, also known as therapy with dogs, is a form of supportive therapy in which specially trained dogs play a key role. The main aim of dog therapy is to improve the mental and physical health of patients through interaction with animals. These faithful canines are able to provide a sense of security, unconditional love and bring a smile to the most difficult situations.

What does dog therapy help with?

Dogotherapy is an effective form of supportive therapy, offering a range of mental and physical health benefits. Dogotherapy, because of its versatility, can be adapted to the different needs of patients, making it a valuable tool in the field of mental and physical health support. It is particularly helpful in:

• Stress and tension reduction: Interaction with a dog has the ability to reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This natural reduction in tension contributes to overall wellbeing.
• Improving mood: Dogs are known for their ability to evoke positive emotions. Playing, stroking and spending time with a dog can contribute to increased levels of endorphins, known as happy hormones.
• Motivation to move: Physical activity associated with interactions with the dog, such as walking or playing, can provide motivation to move, which is especially beneficial for people with physical limitations.
• Social skills development: Particularly with children, interacting with a dog is a great exercise for developing social skills such as empathy, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Treatment of mental disorders: Dog therapy is proving to be effective in the treatment of various mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety or behavioural disorders. Dogs are able to create a safe environment that is conducive to conversation and the expression of emotions.
• Support in therapy for children with autism: In therapy for children with autism, dogs play a stabilising role, helping to develop social skills and alleviate communication difficulties.
• Reducing loneliness: For older or lonely people, the presence of a dog as a companion can significantly reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.
• Therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: For those experiencing trauma, interaction with a dog can provide a safe environment to support the healing and recovery process.

Check out also: Animal-Assisted Therapy: Unleashing the Healing Power of Animals

Benefits of dog therapy

• Stress and Tension Reduction: Interaction with a dog has the ability to reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, resulting in an overall reduction in tension and improved wellbeing.
• Improving Mood: Dogs are known for their ability to evoke positive emotions. By playing with a dog, patients often experience an increase in endorphins, known as happy hormones.
• Motivation to Move: Physical activity involving interaction with the dog, such as walking or playing, promotes motivation to move, which is particularly beneficial for people with physical limitations.
• Social Skills Development: For many patients, especially children, interaction with a dog provides an excellent exercise in developing social skills such as empathy and communication.

What dog breeds are used in dog therapy?

• Labrador retriever: Known for their gentleness and intelligence, Labradors are one of the most commonly used breeds in dog therapy. Their friendly nature makes them excellent companions for a variety of patient groups.
• German shepherd: These dogs are not only strong and physically resilient, but also have a strong bond with their owner. In dog therapy, they can be used to work with people with mental disorders.
• Cavalier king charles spaniel: Known for their gentleness and attachment to people, these small dogs are ideal companions for the elderly or children.
• Golden Retriever: Like Labradors, golden retrievers are warm, friendly and easily establish contact with a variety of patients, especially children.
• Mops: Due to their calm nature and small size, mops are often used in therapy with people who require a dog with a gentle approach.

Explore more: Abundance of plant and bird species affects peoples mental health

Summary

Dogotherapy, the use of interaction with a dog for therapeutic purposes, is an effective form of supportive therapy. Interaction with a dog has a number of benefits, such as stress reduction, mood improvement, development of social skills, motivation to move, support in the treatment of psychological disorders and many others. These animals not only act as companions, but also promote psycho-physical development, especially in the context of therapy for children with autism or people with experience of trauma. Dogotherapy is a valuable form of therapy that can be adapted to the different needs of patients, helping to improve mental and physical health.

Balanced

Cheryl was born and raised in Queen Creek, Arizona. She graduated from Arizona State University in 2004 with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. After practicing at Mayo Clinic Hospital for two years and working in Home Health, she went back to pursue a Masters of Science in Nursing, graduating in 2009.

Since 2009, Cheryl has been working as a Family Nurse Practitioner where her love and passion for the endocrine system continued to grow. Her focus with Naturally Balanced is to educate her patients and help create a path to healing and wellness. Looking at the whole person by balancing hormones, adrenals, and thyroid while focusing on gut health, stress reduction, and a healthy lifestyle is key. Cheryl is honored to partner with you on your journey!

"Early in my practice, I saw a void in traditional medicine as patients would come to me with ongoing complaints after costly testing and no answers. Our fast pace world has many external stressors and influences. Hormone dysfunction and adrenal dysregulation affects all ages. Proper tools are needed to maintain your body's optimal daily function, whether working with a male with low testosterone, a symptomatic menopausal woman, or a teenager with high stress or irregular cycles. The goal is LIVINGinstead of surviving! It is a joy to watch a person's life be transformed with the right education and resources. I would love to partner with you on your journey to wellness!"

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5 Best Dog Foods For pH Balance (2024)

How to Choose the Best Dog Food for pH Balance

Though it is a lesser discussed topic, establishing the right pH balance in a dogs system is critical to achieving and maintaining optimal health. pH balance can be regulated through diet with some foods being preferable when it comes to achieving ideal levels.

pH balance is essentially achieving harmony with hydrogen levels in the body. The scale measures from 1 to 14 with 7 representing neutrality and being the desired outcome. Any number beneath 7 is labelled acidic with values that reflect higher than 7 termed as alkaline.

A dogs body is its most efficient with a pH level that measures between 7 and 7.4, making it only marginally alkaline. When a dogs pH balance dips into the acidic range, it makes the dog more susceptible to contracting disease. The acidic environment is inhospitable to the oxygen required to promote healthy cell growth and tissues.

Achieving a pH balance that is slightly alkaline helps to prevent many life threatening diseases including those related to the kidneys and liver. It has also been proven to help stave off type 2 diabetes in dogs.

However, pH balance does more than simply sustain health to help avoid the development of disease. It also plays a critical role in a dogs urinary health. For dogs that are known to succumb to bladder and kidney stones, it is vital that a switch to diet that promotes the ideal pH balance be undertaken.

The correct pH balance helps put the right environment in place to keep urinary tract infections from occurring, a common problem that plays a leading role in the development of bladder and kidney stones. Stones are not only extremely uncomfortable; at their worst, they can be exceptionally painful. If large in size, they may require surgery to remove since they cannot be passed through the ureter naturally.

When an obstruction occurs due to a stone, it can put the dogs life in jeopardy. Achieving the correct pH balance can help promote excellent urinary health, and thus, avoid many of these problems.

Acidic foods should still play a role in a dogs diet as certain aspects of the body operate most effectively in that type of environment. To achieve optimal health and wellness, it is important to find the correct balance between foods that are acidic in nature and those that are alkaline. Experts agree that finding the harmony between the two is also a vital strategy to help avoid illnesses such as cancer.

There are many benefits dogs gain from being fed a diet that focuses on the correct pH balance. When the blood is properly oxygenated, dogs are less likely to experience tiredness after activity. The aging process is also decelerated, meaning a youthful appearance and fewer age-related health complications are experienced.

The best dog foods for pH balance help dogs to enjoy better longevity and excellent quality of life, making them will worth their cost.

Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for pH Balanced Dog Foods

The amount of the best dog foods for pH balance fed to a dog is equally as important as the ingredients that go into it. Dogs that are allowed to free feed or that are fed in too high quantities are at serious risk of becoming overweight, a condition that places excess strain on muscles, joints, and internal organs.

To determine how much of a food to achieve the ideal pH balance to feed a dog, it is a wise idea to use the table of suggested serving sizes on the bag as a starting point. The dogs weight and appetite will help owners to understand if the amount should be increased or decreased until the correct portion is found.

As a general rule of thumb, adult dogs should be fed a food that contains a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. The ideal puppy food reflects slightly higher values at 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat with slightly higher amounts also within the optimal range.

It is important to note that diets that are too rich in protein can negatively impact a dogs pH levels.

Dietary Requirements for pH Balanced Dog Foods

There are many different dog foods that owners can choose from to assist with achieving the ideal pH balance for their dog. A number of these diets are available by prescription only, meaning a visit to a veterinarian is necessary. It is important to note that since excess protein can be problematic in the pursuit of the ideal pH balance, many veterinary diets focus on plant-based proteins that are not as high in nutritional quality as meats.

Prescription diets are often recommended by veterinarians for dogs that have shown an ongoing problem with urinary tract infections and/or stones. Some dogs can benefit from eating these foods short term to alleviate the problem and can then return to a non-veterinary diet to maintain excellent urinary health when the correct pH balance is attained.

As a general rule of thumb, the best dog foods for pH balance should be comprised of as many natural ingredients as possible. Natural ingredients are typically highly digestible, making their nutrients easier for dogs to process and utilize effectively.

The best proteins for dogs in need of achieving the ideal pH balance are derived from animal sources. The protein amount in a food should be moderate at best with 20-27% the ideal range to remain alkaline. Too much protein will shift the pH balance to acidic, putting the dog at risk for the development of disease.

Though it is always recommended that a food base its protein content on a whole meat or meat meal, dogs experiencing difficulty with their urinary health may benefit from a diet that makes use of plant-based proteins. These should be fed if recommended by a veterinarian and should be a temporary solution to alleviate an ongoing problem.

When a dog exhibits an acidic environment in its body, it is important to increase the moisture found in its food to help reduce the amount of acid contained in the urine. To help achieve this best, it is a good idea to make the switch to a canned food. Canned foods have their moisture content boosted to increase palatability and bind ingredients together well. Alternatively, water can be added to the dogs regular kibble to increase the amount of fluid intake naturally.

Since artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives contribute no nutritional quality to a diet and can be common allergens for many dogs, foods containing them are best avoided entirely.

Carbohydrates are important inclusions to a formula to help provide necessary dietary fiber to encourage good digestion. These can be taken from whole grains, fruits, or vegetables. However, an emphasis should be placed on the amount of fiber a food contains as well as its antioxidant profile to help boost the dogs immune system to fight disease well. Extremely acidic fruits included in high quantities are undesirable in a food to address pH balance.

The best dog foods for pH balance place a high emphasis on including healthy fats to promote coat and skin health. These are best derived from animal sources such as chicken fat or oily fish.

Supplements help to round out a diet and provide excellent health benefits for dogs. Among the most desirable supplements to look for in a high quality dog food are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.

Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for pH Balance

Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in a dog food for pH balance:

• Whole meat or meat meal proteins heading up the ingredients list (in non-veterinary diets)
• Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
• Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
• Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
• Contains healthy amounts of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to support coat and skin health
• Includes an excellent balance of both acidic and alkaline foods to promote the correct pH balance
• High moisture content to help dilute acidic urine