A Dog Became A Professor At The University Of Southern California

That dogs have a lot to teach us humans is something that from My Animals we do not question. It is another thing to read on the news that a dog became a university professor. We will tell you what this matter is really about.

Beau, the hairy guy who is on the staff of a Californian university

Professor Beauregard Tirebiter, Beau to Friends, is a new staff member at the University of Southern California (USA). But there is a small detail: Beau is not a person; it’s a dog.

It is a 2-year-old black Goldendoodle (cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle ). And, as it becomes clear, their fur is hypoallergenic. The little animal fulfills the function of a “welfare dog”, something similar to therapy dogs but aimed at a broader universe. And it is that Beau was trained to be able to work with a large number of people on a regular basis.

In short, the function of the furry is to help students lower their stress levels and thus improve their academic performance.

And although the dog, in this first stage, has its own place in the Office for the Promotion of Health and Well-being of the USC, and with certain hours to receive the students, the idea is that it can interact with them in the different spaces of the university.

Learn how a dog became a university professor

As explained by Professor Olga Solomon, a member of this educational institution, positive interactions with dogs generate feelings of well-being and calm. And it is that caressing or playing with a furry person usually increases the levels of certain hormones and chemicals in people. So people feel happier and reduce their stress.

But the idea is that Beau also contributes to generating a sense of community at the university. Also to help eliminate barriers for students who have concerns to access some USC resources.

Amanda Vanni, the furry’s trainer, works daily with Beau to effectively fulfill his role. And, as one more way to reach the students, the furry has open accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

Interacting with pets lowers stress levels

The truth is that stress is often the cause of students abandoning their careers or having poor performance. Therefore, universities aim to develop policies to solve this problem. The decision to recruit Beau certainly goes in that direction.

And various investigations have shown that interacting with pets increases the levels of substances in people that make them feel happiness and well-being. Between them:

• Serotonin It acts as a neurotransmitter responsible for keeping the mood in balance. Its deficit could cause depression.
• Beta-endorphin. It is produced in the central nervous system and works mainly as a pain moderator. It is an endogenous opioid hormone and neurotransmitter.
• Oxytocin This hormone is considered responsible for, among other things, that we love, be faithful, compassionate and kind.

But, in addition, stroking or playing with a furry one decreases the amount of cortisol. It is a steroid hormone, produced by the adrenal gland and released in response to stress.

Animals have a lot to teach us

At this point there seems to be no doubt that dogs have a lot to offer us and at different levels.

And it no longer sounds so strange that a dog became a professor at an American university.

And it is that, in his own way, Beau will be able to teach many things to the students who attend that house of studies in Los Angeles, California.

Photo source: Beau dog’s Instagram account