International School Parent Magazine - Spring 2022

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Dogs have super powers PERMAH Pups! How can our canine companions help us survive and even thrive in these pandemic times? WRITTEN BY CLIVE LEACH & ROZ RIMES The last 18 months have been a testing time for us all and has seen us grappling with new challenges forced on our already complex and challenging lives. We have had to sustain our resilience within our families, schools and workplaces. Losses, lockdowns, lethargy and loneliness, have all taken their toll. But, of course, those of us with dogs will know they have been influential in helping us through. But how do they (and other pets) impact positively on our well-being? The science of well-being and Positive Psychology, tell us that there are many things we can do to enhance well-being in ourselves and those around us. For example, experiencing positive emotions, showing compassion and helping others, using our strengths, being mindful, practising gratitude and savouring, and investing in building high-quality connections (Waters et al, 2021). These interventions do three critical things. They: 1. Buffer against the risks of anxiety, stress and depression that can result from the impact of the pandemic and other INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT SPRING <strong>2022</strong> | 58
Roz with Rafa & Flash “Savouring our interactions with dogs can be such a wellbeing boost, particularly when we are experiencing the primary and vicarious impacts of ongoing stressors within our communities.” Dr Tom Brunzell adversities we face in life. 2. Bolster our resilience to navigate successfully through these difficult times. 3. Build our capacity to grow and flourish and make the very best of the opportunities the world still has to offer us. To help people better understand what well-being is, many schools and organisations have started applying a much-used, evidence-based framework called PERMAH. This stands for Positive Emotions; Engagement; Relationships; Meaning; Accomplishment; Health. PERMAH helps us realise what well-being is and how we can enhance our capacity to feel good and function well irrespective of our circumstances. As wellbeing coaches and dog-lovers, we want to share with you some of the research demonstrating the benefits of humananimal interactions from both recent studies and our own experience with our PERMAH Pups Flash, Rafa, and Miss May. Let’s explore how our four-legged family members and friends might have contributed to building PERMAH for ourselves and our families during these unprecedented times. We’ll also give you some ‘Pawsitive Pointers’ that you can apply to help you be more mindful of the contribution interacting with your dog or other people’s dogs can make to your family’s wellbeing. P = Positive Emotions The ability to experience a full range of emotions from fear and anger to joy and excitement is a sign of positive mental health. Of course, no one goes around being ‘happy’ all the time! But we do need to be mindful of what we call the ‘negativity bias’ and understand that because negative emotions are stronger, we feel them more acutely and pay more attention to them than positive emotions. So, it’s crucial to generate more positive emotions, particularly in this challenging time as the pandemic impacts. This is because the experience of positive emotions broaden our ability to learn, be creative and find solutions. They also build our physical, mental and social resources, so we are stronger and more resilient in the face of life’s stresses and pressures. What emotions do you experience when you are interacting with your dog? Interacting with dogs can bring about feelings of love, joy, serenity, laughter, gratitude, pride, curiosity and even awe when they do some truly amazing things! INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT SPRING <strong>2022</strong> | 59 Dogs can reduce stress in students facing deadlines and taking examinations, and they can help calm and relax us just by observing them in the environment, whether at home, work or school. So they can be a comfort during a high stakes event or in overcoming a disappointment such as not making the sports team or school play. Our dogs feel positive emotions, too and just looking (not staring) into their eyes can relieve their stress and anxiety. Our feelings can influence their feelings and vice versa. As we relax, the dogs relax, and we can attune to our dogs and co-regulate each other. They can energise us in the morning to get us moving or relax, calm and soothe us in the evening before bed. Our dogs provide many opportunities for savouring in the present by luxuriating in the feel of their fur. We can also savour the past by reminiscing about their antics as puppies and sharing stories with family and friends. Looking forward to an upcoming positive event with our dog is a way of savouring the anticipation. So, our dogs can help ramp up our positive emotions in the here and now, reexperience the joys of the past and look forward to good times still to come. Pawsitive Pointer: Dial up your senses, especially sight, smell, hearing and touch (taste could be tricky!) to savour positive emotions and be present with your dog. E = Engagement When we are genuinely engaged, we get into the ‘zone’ and the flow state, which is excellent for our psychological health. We feel energised and focused, fully involved, wholly absorbed. We are also likely to be using our strengths. For example, by interacting with our dogs, we can become immersed in pursuits such as feeding, grooming, training and playing with them, hiding toys, scent games, ball retrieving and tricks. Being present with our dogs is a great way to be in the moment, slow down and be mindful. Rafa is very ball/play focused, and he is a great role model, just concentrating on one thing at a time. Interacting with our dogs is also a great
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International School Parent Magazine - Spring 2022

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