Pause for Paws at USC
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
As the school year is rollin’ by, some of you might already be in need of some stress relief (like moi). And fortunately for USC students, we have some special companions that’ll be just the right being to help us.
And yes – I’m talking about therapy dogs (or puppies, as I like to call all dogs).
If you’re interested in petting some friends and relaxing, then you should head over to McCarthy Quad to meet adorable and helpful therapy dogs!
They’ll have great friends that’ll help relieve some stress that you’ve probably encountered this past week. Or these great beings can just provide some relaxing time, even if you aren’t stressed.
A couple notes on how therapy dogs are successful with emotional healing include how they can create:
- a decrease in depression, loneliness, stress, feelings of isolation
- an increase in mental stimulation, attention skills, and verbal interactions
- an increase in self-esteem
- and so many more benefits
Therapy dogs may also bring positive results with physical benefits such as:
- Decrease in blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol
- Increase in “happy” hormones: dopamine, oxytocin, prolactin, serotonin
- Increase in level of fitness by providing stimulus for exercise
- Improvement in motor skills
As a current puppy-owner, I can definitely attest to some of these great benefits. And again, even if you aren’t looking for a way to de-stress, just come on down to spread some love to these babies. I might be there, so I hope to see some of y’all there!
Special shout-out to the Office of Wellness and Health Promotion for sponsoring this and making this happen for students on campus!
Thursday, August 31st: 11:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday, September 7th: 11:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday, September 14th: 11:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday, September 21st: 11:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday, September 28th: 11:30am - 2:30pm
If you want to get updates on further dates, make sure to check out right here!
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