Dogs Help Students with Stress at Orem High School

[/media-credit] A dog smiles for the camera.

A lot of students feel stress in high school. There are many ways that they can handle or work with their stress. Studies say that having or spending time with dogs can definitely help human beings cope with stress and help them to be happy.

A study done in 2001 (www.sciencedirect.com) showed that petting or even just watching a dog can lower blood pressure. Dogs are also prone to routine which can make their owners more likely to stay on schedule, too, which can help students to stay on top of deadlines. And, they make us laugh and just plain make people happier.

We interviewed a few students at Orem High to see if they agreed with this statistic. When asked if she thought spending time with her dog reduces stress for her, Hayley Whitlock, a senior at Orem High School, said, “Yes! She totally is so playful and helps a lot.”

And when she was given the follow-up question of why or how it can do that, she answered that it’s because her dog is so “cute and loving and playful. Playing reduces stress.”

Another student, Marie Jacobs, said she thinks that spending time with her dog helps to make her less stressed, too.