Pets--those furry, four-footed friends--can provide excellent support and stress relief for us who live in such a hectic world. In my opinion, there is nothing better in this world than the unconditional love you get from a cat or dog in your life. I have three dogs--two Great Danes and a Basset. I have always found that pets offer love and companionship without asking much in return. They offer a great strategy for stress management. For those of us who love animals, you know it is almost impossible to stay in a bad mood when you look into the soft eyes of a dog or have a soft furry cat rub up against your leg. Come to think of it, I find it even easier to snap out of a dark mood when I engage in conversations with my dogs. They always seem to agree with me and listen quite assuredly with no judgment attached!!

Here are some reasons why I think pets help with stress management.

Pets can be your best friend! Sometimes they are even better than a human because they are not judgmental and are always willing to listen. Pets can be there for you in different ways from humans. As they listen, they can keep your secrets, sit with you patiently in comforting silence, snuggle, act as comic relief, and be the perfect antidote for loneliness. After a trying day, there is nothing I like more than coming into the house and being greeted by my four-footed friends. They are always happy to see me and don't mind listening to any complaints I might offer about the day!

We all need to exercise and so do our pets. Why not share the experience and go for a walk? Sometimes it is tough to keep up with Magnum, with her long strides but she is much more willing to walk than Chip, the Basset Hound. He doesn't make it very far before he is ready for a rest. Regardless, walking a dog is a great way to enjoy the exercise with a companion and both benefit from the experience. Exercise is also a great method for stress management.

If you are interested in meeting people in your neighborhood, what better reason for people to stop and talk than having a pet to act as the introduction! Pets offer a way for you to meet people when you are walking because they are like magnets making you more approachable to others. Even my Great Danes, as huge as they are, have been great ice-breakers for people to come up and meet them and me.

Studies show that pets are help in reducing blood pressure because their presence helps us stay calmer and reduces a human's spikes in blood pressure that can be triggered due to stress and tension. A study from the University of Buffalo monitored stockbrokers who had no medical conditions other than hypertension and lived alone. The half who received dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn't get pets. When they learned of the results, many of those in the non-pet group went out and got pets. The study showed that if you have high blood pressure, a pet is good for you when you are under stress and especially helpful if you have a limited support system.