How Your Mental Health Impacts Your Pets
Written by Mackenna Hamilton
If someone were to tell you today that your current mood would also become the
mood of those around you – your friends, family, your loved ones – how would
you react? Would you be comforted, knowing you are content with your mental
state, or would it possibly cause some concern? Either way, would it make you
more mindful about your emotions and cause you to take steps to ensure that
you’re feeling well, so that they will feel well? Although our feelings can have an
impact on the people around us, our mental state does not actually become
theirs. The same can’t be said for our pets, as they pick up on some of the most
subtle cues that we give off, and over time the way we feel begins to have an
impact on them.
Here we will take a look at the connection between people and their pets, the
way our mental health can be improved by bringing pets into our lives, how
exactly our mental state can impact theirs, and steps that can be taken to ensure
that both ourselves and our furry friends are feeling our best.
The Human-Animal Connection
There’s no doubt around the joy and companionship that our pets can bring into
our lives, but how often do we think about the impact that we have on their
emotions? Although some will debate that animals aren’t cognitively advanced
enough to feel emotions, most pet owners would argue otherwise. Many people
that have a close bond with their furry friends can tell when they are anxious,
excited, guilty, upset, happy, and more. However, identifying these emotions is
one thing – knowing what causes them is another. It is important to recognize
what makes these moods start up, so that we are able to help prevent any long-
lasting negative moods or stress.
The Pet Benefit
There are many obvious benefits to owning a pet, and a study in the Journal of
Behavioral Medicine went in-depth researching the ways in which owning and
interacting with our pets can lead to lower blood pressure, decreased loneliness,
and overall increased levels of relaxation. On another even more relatable note, a
study from the University of York was done evaluating the effects of the Covid-19
lockdown on people that own pets specifically. Surveys were done that found
especially during isolation, pet owners reported coping better emotionally
because of their pet. It was even found that the type of pet didn’t matter, just
simply the closeness of the bond. Over 90% of study participants claimed that
their pet contributed to their ability to cope with the lockdown, and 96% stated
that one of the main reasons they kept active during it was because of their pet.
Surveys were done that found especially during isolation, pet owners reported coping better emotionally because of their pet
Our Influence on Them
Although the thought of spending time with our pets to improve our mood may
appear beneficial to us, we don’t often consider how our moods can affect our
pets. It may seem like quarantine is good for the animals, because they get to
have us home all the time, but the quality of the time spent together is just as
important to them as the quantity. Spending more time at home may have
initially seemed like it is a good thing for them, but it could potentially be more
damaging if we are struggling mentally and they are picking up on it.
Since their domestication, dogs have fine-tuned their ability to understand us and
react according to how we are feeling. It is known that they can be trained to
sense medical conditions, with sensitivity so refined that they are able to predict
seizures and even pick up on blood sugar levels. So, if they’re able to pick up on
these minute physiological cues, it’s no surprise that they are able to pick up on
even the smallest emotional frequencies.
Our pets may be a large part of our lives, and we can even view them as family,
but we also balance jobs, education, family, friends, relationships, health,
finances, and so much more. This means that our moods and emotions are based on a wide variety of things in our lives. However, for pets, their owners are the
single most important contributors to their life. Pet owners supply physical needs
such as food, water, housing, exercise, and more. They also offer emotional
supports such as providing love, affection, and time. Although all of these things
are able to be provided to our pets consciously, it is important to consider what
we subconsciously provide them with as well, including personality traits and
emotional effects.
National Geographic explained a study in which increased levels of stress in
owners were reflected in the increased stress levels of their dogs. Owners began
by answering a questionnaire about their own personality and mental health, and
how they perceived their pets. Over time, their stress levels were measured, and
changes in the owner were reflected in their pet. To put it frankly, they stated “an
owner with self-reported anxiety could cause chronic stress in their pet.”
However, these changes did not go the other way, meaning the mood of a pet
had no impact on the owner. This could be something to consider when
monitoring our pet’s behavior, as one of the researchers “urges owners to
consider their own behaviors when trying to understand what’s going on in their
pups.” For any concerned pet owners, it may be worthwhile to trace back any
behavioral changes and consider whether or not they could be a contributor.
Over time, their stress levels were measured, and changes in the owner were reflected in their pet
Another study in the Scientific Reports journal backed up these findings,
measuring the stress hormone cortisol in both owners and pets. It also showed
that stress between owners and their dogs was synchronized, meaning that our
stress can be mirrored in our pets. This evidence proves that psychological
changes can be shared between species. They expressed the significance of these
findings, stating “This may be relevant from the perspective of the welfare of dogs
since stress and related health issues are of great concern in today’s human
society.” This suggests that while stress, mental health, and the impact these
things can have on physical health are becoming prioritized in human society, we can now see that our connections with animals can cause it to be just as impactful
on them.
Our pets become a reflection of us, and it is possible for our mental state to
influence theirs. Although animals can gain many positive effects from their
relationships with us, it is not all about gaining resources and attention. They also,
over time, match our personalities and mental states. To offer our pets the most
beneficial relationship, it is important for us to be aware of how our state of mind
can end up impacting them. As Professor Mills from the University of Lincoln
explained in his previously mentioned study on the lockdown’s effect on pet
owners: “This work is particularly important at the current time as it indicates
how having a companion animal in your home can buffer against some of the
psychological stress associated with the lockdown. However, it is important that
everyone appreciates their pet’s needs too, as our other work shows failing to
meet these can have a detrimental effect for both people and their pets.”
To offer our pets the most beneficial relationship, it is important for us to be aware of how our state of mind can end up impacting them.
So, What Can I Do?
Sometimes the best way to take care of someone else, including your pets, is to
first take care of yourself. Things, like keeping hydrated, eating well and regularly,
going for walks outside, proper sleep, regular medical and dental exams, and
enjoying leisure time, are important in reducing stress levels for both our pets and
us. Following a healthy routine can alleviate stress in both humans and animals,
and consistency is the key to ensuring that these needs are being met as often as
they need to.
Being just well enough to provide for our furry friends may be sufficient in
keeping them alive and physically well, but there is a difference between being
alive and thriving. To truly allow our pets to live their best life, we must first make sure we’re putting that effort into ourselves. Maintaining mental health is just as
important as physical health and taking steps to keep yourself healthy will
ultimately affect every other part of your life. Our pets love us unconditionally,
and truly want what is best for us, so for the sake of ourselves, and for our pets, it
is important to take whatever steps we can to be the healthiest versions of
ourselves, inside and out.
Attached at the end of this article is a link to Canada’s mental health services. If
you or a loved one is struggling, be sure to reach out to the mental health services
near you. Your pet may deserve you at your best, but you deserve it for yourself
as well.
References
Vormbrock, J. K., and J. M. Grossberg. “Cardiovascular effects of human-pet dog
interactions.” Journal of behavioral medicine vol. 11,5 (1988): 509-17.
doi:10.1007/BF00
University of York. "Pets linked to maintaining better mental health and reducing loneliness during lockdown, new research shows." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 September 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200926145210.htm>.
Sundman, A. S., Van Poucke, E., Svensson Holm, A. C., et al. Long-term stress levels are
synchronized in dogs and their owners. Scientific Reports 9, 7391 (2019).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43851-x
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