How Can Dogs Help in Mental Health Recovery? Six Key Questions About the Science Behind Canine Companionship

August 26, 2025
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The use of animals in therapeutic settings dates back decades, with some of the earliest structured work began in the 1980s¹. However, there is growing interest in the powerful role of animals in mental health recovery – and today, this area is expanding rapidly, with companion animals increasingly involved in supporting a range of conditions, from ADHD and autism to depression, anxiety, and PTSD². They’ve also been introduced in crisis interventions, dementia care, and end-of-life support². While there is a myriad of types of therapy animals, dogs are by far the most commonly used animals in such interventions³.

But, how exactly can dogs help in mental health recovery?

The concept is grounded in the human–animal bond – the understanding that calm, consistent interactions with animals can help trigger positive emotional responses, reduce stress, and promote psychological safety². Companion animals can offer a unique combination of emotional comfort, therapeutic presence, and non-judgemental companionship². In clinical settings, their presence has been shown to build rapport between therapist and patient, encourage sharing, and enhance a sense of connection⁴. These benefits can be particularly helpful for individuals who find traditional clinical environments overwhelming or hard to open up in.

Therapists may incorporate animals into psychotherapy through both structured and unstructured methods⁴. This could include going for a walk together with the therapy dog, commenting on spontaneous interactions during a session, or inviting reflective dialogue such as: “If this dog were your best friend, what would he know about you that no one else does?” In some cases, specific activities are created to explore feelings through the presence and engagement of the animal⁴.

At Orchestrate Health, dogs are not ‘prescribed’. But we do see how, in the safe space of home, they can play a supportive role in mental wellbeing. Not everyone needs or wants that but, for some, their presence changes everything.

Why Do Dogs Make People Feel Emotionally Safer in Recovery

For many people navigating recovery from complex mental health challenges, the presence of a calm, familiar dog can be profoundly regulating. But what is it about dogs that creates such emotional safety?

There’s now a growing body of evidence showing that positive interactions with dogs can reduce threat perception and stress responses in the brain^5-9. These interactions have been associated with lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, decreased cortisol levels^5-7, and increased neurochemicals linked to bonding and emotional regulation – including β-endorphin, oxytocin, and prolactin^8-9. In one PET scan study, brain areas related to stress and sympathetic nervous system activation were significantly less active when participants were with a familiar dog, even compared to a standard relaxing environment¹⁰.

This matters clinically. For people experiencing trauma-related symptoms or heightened anxiety, a dog’s steady presence helps gently activate the parasympathetic nervous system – the part of our biology responsible for rest, digestion, and emotional regulation. Simply stroking a calm dog can help sync our nervous system to theirs, slowing heart rate and increasing heart rate variability¹¹. Findings also suggest that this process boosts oxytocin while reducing cortisol – clear signs of parasympathetic and oxytocinergic system activation¹².

These effects are especially valuable in trauma-informed support. Dogs do not judge, do not expect performance, and do not require explanations. For those with PTSD or chronic anxiety, their presence may help to quiet hyperarousal and support emotional regulation through down-regulation of the HPA axis – a system often dysregulated in those with PTSD^12-13.

So, when it is asked, “Do dogs help with anxiety?” or “Can dogs support trauma recovery?” – the emerging science suggests that not only do they comfort, but they co-regulate.

How Do Dogs Help Therapy Feel More Comfortable at Home?

In private, home-based mental health care, therapy often takes on a gentler rhythm. It is less clinical, and more relational. So, the presence of a calming canine companion can deepen this atmosphere, easing emotional tension and reinforcing familiarity in subtle but meaningful ways.

For individuals navigating anxiety or low mood, dogs can offer both grounding and structure¹¹. Their need for routine – walks, feeding, play – becomes a quiet prompt to re-engage with daily life¹¹. These consistent rhythms help anchor patients during emotionally turbulent periods¹¹. Even small interactions like a nudge of the nose, or a bark at the door can gently interrupt distressing thoughts and bring a person back to the present¹¹. And through their physical presence, dogs offer grounding touch in the form of a warm body beside you, a steady paw on your leg that can be calming and unspoken¹¹.

Therapy dogs in private mental health care have also been shown to reduce barriers to emotional expression. American clinical psychologist, Chris Blazina, found that up to 42% of middle-aged men are more likely to turn to their dog for emotional support in difficult times than to anyone in their social network¹⁴. As noted, “men are pretty reluctant to seek various forms of help and treatment – whether that is in the medical realm or just among their social network”¹⁴. Further, psychotherapist – Donna Gluck – adds that companion animals can help reduce anxiety and depression on a chemical level and, more personally, that her dog Talia’s presence often leads to breakthroughs in therapy¹⁵. “They help clients take down emotional walls,” she explained, especially for those who’ve been taught that vulnerability is a sign of weakness¹⁵. For some, having a dog in the room allows openness that might not otherwise surface. And in home-based therapy, where the environment already feels more human, the presence of a dog can further diffuse clinical formality¹⁵.

In this way, dogs subtly reinforce what home-based therapy with pets does best: building trust, reducing pressure, and nurturing connection without ever saying a word.

Is There Scientific Evidence That Dogs Improve Mental Health?

For those working in private mental health care, the question can arise: “is there genuine scientific evidence dogs improve mental health?” The answer, increasingly, is yes … though with important caveats around integration, not substitution.

Research has shown that interactions between humans and dogs can influence the neurobiology of stress and connection^16-20. For example, one study found that dog–owner interactions increase oxytocin – a hormone linked to bonding – while simultaneously decreasing cortisol, a key stress hormone¹⁶. The impact was further shaped by the quality of the relationship and behaviour during interaction¹⁶.

Oxytocin release has also been observed through gentle touch; a hallmark of human-animal connection¹⁶. This can reduce blood pressure, improve digestive function, and even increase pain thresholds^17-19. Another study found that children who interacted with dogs had higher oxytocin levels than when playing alone – even when the dog was unfamiliar²⁰. These neurochemical shifts are central to stress reduction, a sense of calm, and emotional regulation – and so pets are increasingly linked in research for this reason^21-23.

Polyvagal theory offers one explanation: dysregulated emotional states (such as anxiety or shutdown) are shaped by autonomic nervous system imbalance²¹. The soothing presence of a dog, especially through touch or eye contact, may help support a shift from sympathetic arousal or withdrawal to a more socially engaged and grounded state²¹. Strikingly, 84% of PTSD patients paired with service dogs reported a reduction in symptoms, and 40% were able to reduce medication²³.

That said, it’s essential to view this through a clinical lens. These findings do not replace traditional therapeutic or psychiatric care. But when integrated thoughtfully, the physiological and emotional support of a dog can quietly complement recovery work, offering patients that want to explore it another way to feel safer, more connected, and calmer.

What Are the Emotional Benefits of Non-Verbal Companionship?

For individuals experiencing burnout, emotional fatigue, or depression, the mere thought of conversation can sometimes feel overwhelming. This is where the quiet companionship of a dog can make a meaningful difference.

Unlike human interaction, non-verbal therapy support demands nothing. Dogs offer their presence freely – no pressure, no performance, no need for explanation. They simply sit beside you, breathe alongside you, and offer gentle connection in moments when words feel out of reach. This can be particularly powerful for those navigating complex emotional terrain such as loneliness and mental health recovery, where traditional therapeutic relationships may take longer to build.

Their constancy offers grounding and for those carrying shame or disconnection, they allow relationship without fear of judgement – being near, but never intrusive. It’s no surprise that dogs and emotional support are so often linked. For many, this quiet bond becomes an anchor point in their recovery journey.

Why Do Some People Feel Safer with Dogs Than with People?

For many, especially those in high-performance or high-visibility roles, human interaction can feel layered with expectation. Whether it’s executives under pressure to perform, individuals recovering from people-pleasing tendencies, or those navigating burnout recovery, there is often a deep need for connection that feels safe and free from judgement.

Dogs offer precisely that. With them, there’s no need to mask, explain, or impress. Their presence allows us to simply be.

This can be especially meaningful for those who are neurodivergent, such as individuals on the autism spectrum. Research suggests that many autistic people feel more at ease interacting with animals than with other people, and that an estimated 80% of autistic children have participated in pet therapy²⁴. Some studies even indicate a preference or emotional bias toward animals over humans, which may reflect the clarity and consistency that animals offer²⁵.

The bond between neurodivergence and companion animals speaks to a broader truth that safety is not always found in words, but in presence. And for those who have spent a lifetime navigating complex relational dynamics, dogs can offer a space of peace and permission to exhale.

Are Dogs Considered a Treatment for Mental Health Conditions?

While dogs are not a recognised clinical treatment in and of themselves, there is growing recognition of their role within broader mental health support frameworks. In the UK, animal-assisted therapy is increasingly being explored as a complementary approach — particularly when embedded within structured psychiatric or psychological care.

In these contexts, the therapy dog’s role in mental health isn’t to replace trained clinicians, but to augment the environment in which healing takes place. Dogs can help reduce anxiety, encourage emotional expression, and provide moments of non-verbal connection that ease the intensity of trauma recovery.

At Orchestrate Health, we see this not as a formal intervention, but as a natural part of some patients’ recovery ecosystems. For those navigating complex trauma, anxiety, or emotional withdrawal, a dog can become a true, quiet constant.

The Quiet Power of Presence

Not every patient will respond to animal companionship. But, for many, the presence of a dog offers something quietly transformative. In the most human moments of recovery, it’s not always words that create progress. Sometimes, it’s calm. Trust. Consistency.

In home-based settings especially, dogs can soften the emotional texture of care, grounding patients in the present and reinforcing a sense of safety.

At Orchestrate Health, we understand that healing is deeply personal. Our nurse-led, case-managed approach allows space for these subtle yet powerful dynamics – working with patients, and with the professionals who support them.

If you are interested in learning more about how Orchestrate Health delivers its nurse-led, case-managed, at-home mental health care treatment model … contact us today.

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