Happy "National Dog Day!"

 

How getting a dog during the pandemic may be beneficial for your health: 'Like a live-in therapist'

Earlier this month, the Washington Post reported a surge in dog adoptions and sales during the coronavirus pandemic, comparing it to past crazes like Tickle Me Elmo and Cabbage Patch Kids.

But unlike those toys, dogs are living, breathing animals who require frequent care and attention — and also return the favor to their owners. So as much of the country has been forced to isolate over the past five months to varying degrees, it makes sense that dogs can provide a real benefit to people spending more time at home.

August 26 is National Dog Day, and to celebrate man’s best friend, Yahoo Life spoke to Stanley Coren, a psychologist and dog-lover who’s written popular books like The Intelligence of Dogs and pens the Canine Corner column for Psychology Today. He broke down how a pet dog — not a cat, not a fish — could improve your mental and physical health during the pandemic.

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