Several things can affect your pup’s mood, but did you know that something as small as a flower can make them happier? If you want an easy way to boost your dog’s happiness, finding the right flower can help brighten your whole home.
Plants can change human lives in several ways. You may notice that you fall asleep more easily when you smell lavender or chamomile, just as you realize you might feel more invigorated after lighting a citrus candle. Scents can do something similar to dogs. You just need to find out what makes yours the happiest they can be.
Why Do Flowers Make Us Happy?
The psychology of flowers might be hard to understand, but you can’t deny one thing: Flowers make humans happy. Receiving a bouquet of flowers “just because” can brighten your day and turn things around for you. It seems like flowers make us happy by just existing.
Flowers conjure positive feelings, but there may not be a defined answer as to why. Some people believe it’s because of the hunter-gatherer instinct in that blooming flowers represent fruits, while others think it’s because flowers are typically associated with significance and celebration. Either way, you likely have a preference and would keep your favorite florals in your home year-round if you could.
Having flowers in the home is a great way to relieve stress. A bouquet of flowers and having your dog nearby can lower your blood pressure and help you relax as best as possible. Both your faithful friend and a bundle of florals can help brighten up a room, especially when you’re not feeling well. They work together to make you happy. Still, flowers might also be able to brighten your dog’s day.
How Do Flowers Improve Your Pup’s Mood?
Flowers can improve your pup’s mood in several ways. The psychology of flowers can extend into the canine world, just as it positively affects the human world. Here are a few ways adding flowers to your home might make your dog feel more relaxed or boost their mood.
1. They Help Them Communicate
You may notice that your dog stops to smell the flowers when you’re out on a walk. Their interest in a plant may not be related to the plant’s aroma itself, but to the messages being conveyed through the plant. Their sense of smell helps them explore the world around them and can also assist them in reading communications from other animals passing through the area. It’s always exciting for a dog when they find another dog’s message left behind in the plants.
2. Gives Them Something to Look At
When you change up the decor in your home, it can give your dog something new to stare at. Remember, dogs can’t process vivid reds as human eyes can, but it can still offer them something unique to look at. Some dogs don’t do well with change, but others will just be happy to have something new in their space.
3. It Regulates Their Feelings
Dogs get anxious just like humans and might need something to help them regulate their emotions. Certain herbs can calm anxious dogs down and can easily be integrated into their daily lives. You can add some scents to your dog’s bedding or in a tube that can easily be removed from their sleeping space. When you want your dog to stay calm in a stressful situation, natural scents are the easiest way to improve your pup’s mood.
Do Dogs Like The Smell of Flowers?
It turns out that many dogs do like the smell of flowers. Dogs are attracted to natural-smelling scents. Of flowers, they seem to gravitate toward roses the most — similar to their human counterparts. Coincidentally, roses are also some of the best-smelling perennial flowers that you can put in your home every month of the year. Dogs also like flowering plants, as they like to smell blueberries and blackberries.
Some smells can make your dog react a certain way. When under the stress of being in a shelter, some dogs had a positive reaction to smells like coconut and vanilla, which encouraged them to bark and verbally react less often. These smells can encourage comfort in your dog and help them relax after a difficult day or event. Just be aware that flowers might not improve your pup’s mood. They may not damage your dog’s mental state, but they may just not care about any flowers you put in your home. That’s still good news for you, as it means you can include fresh florals in your decor.
However, you can’t keep just any flowers near your dog. Some common flowers, like hyacinths and gardenias, can be poisonous to dogs when ingested. If you keep outdoor flower beds, make sure you don’t plant any of the following, so your dog doesn’t have the opportunity to sample them:
- Azalea
- Chrysanthemums
- Gardenias
- Hyacinths
- Hydrangeas
- Rhododendrons
While these are some of the most common flowers that can be toxic to dogs, they’re not the only ones that can poison them when ingested. Always do your research before committing to growing a certain plant. You want to ensure that the blooms’ beauty won’t negatively affect your pup in any way.
You may also notice that your dog could be allergic to something in your home that causes them to sneeze. Allergies can be common for dogs, just like humans, and if you’ve recently introduced fresh-cut flowers into your home, you may consider testing to see whether your dog is allergic to them. If that’s the case, try to avoid bringing the specific kind of flower home.
Boost Your Pup’s Mood Naturally
Your pup’s mood might largely depend on what’s around them. Some days, they’re bound to need a pick-me-up. One way to incorporate more passive enrichment into your dog’s life is to give them something to look at and smell.
Do dogs like the smell of flowers? Well, certain flowers are great for your dog and can even improve their happiness levels by eliminating some stress. Since dogs stop to smell the roses now and then, it might be worth putting some fresh-cut flowers in your home.