- Gold medalist swimmer Caeleb Dressel shares the positive impact his pets have on his life.
- Dressel says his dog and cat provide him with mental and emotional support.
- Studies suggest that pets can help boost the mental and physical health of people.
Olympic swimmer Caeleb Dressel returned home from the Paris Olympics with two gold medals and a silver. Being welcomed by his wife, son, their dog Jane, and cat Rems brought him the comfort and perspective he needed.
“[I] get caught up in very much the hustle of everything and media and sponsors and training and making sure I’m getting to bed on time that I forget to take a breath,” he told Healthline.
Sitting on his porch watching Jane happily relax gives Dressel a reality check he said he appreciates.
“[I’ll] give it another couple weeks or a month, no one is going to be talking about Paris. They’re on to the next thing, so I know it’s a lot bigger deal in my mind, and certainly, Jane and Rems help me forget about that,” said Dressel.
A lifelong love of animals
Dressel’s dad is a retired veterinarian. Growing up, his family had many pets, including a bird, guinea pigs, hamsters, and a rat. He bought Jane the day after he graduated college.
“[As] soon as my college career finished, I got 5 hours of sleep, woke up, and drove to go get Jane at 8 weeks old,” he said.
Because his dad’s first dog was a black lab, Dressel wanted the same.
“She’s been with me since literally day one of my professional career, so she’s technically seen more than anybody else in my circle. She’s seen all the bad practices, all the rough days. She’s been really special, just to be there with me,” said Dressel.
His wife Meghan brought their cat Rems into the relationship.
“Rems has such a funny nighttime routine where we’ll get into bed, and it’s usually about 10 minutes on the dot, we’ll hear him jump up on the bed, and then…he’ll paw to get under the covers, and then he spoons with Meghan the whole night,” he said.
How pets can provide mental health support
Pets have long been known to provide significant emotional and physical benefits to their owners.
Studies suggest having a pet reduces depression and anxiety and helps maintain social connections with others and the community.
“Owning a pet provides feelings of comfort, security, and unconditional love. Further, the need to care for one’s pet helps provide a sense of structure, purpose, and leads to boosts in self-confidence and self-care,” Deborah Serani, PsyD, professor of psychology at Adelphi University, told Healthline.
The bond between humans and pets furthers the notion that they are not just furry companions but valued and special family members, she added.
So is the case for Dressel who welcomes Jane to sleep on his side of the bed.
“So anytime I travel, it’s kind of tough to get used to not having her paw next to me, her farts, her bad breath, all that stuff,” he said. “It’s the same thing with Rems…it’s funny the dynamic me and my wife have with Jane and Rems, we have a kid, but they’re truly our kids. I refer to Rems as our first-born son, and Jane is my daughter.”
There are also benefits to interacting with animals even if they’re not your own pet, said Beth Steinberg, PhD, RN, senior researcher with the Center for Integrative Health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
As the principal investigator of a recent study, Steinberg and colleagues evaluated the effects of regular therapy dog visits on healthcare workers in high-stress inpatient hospital units. They found that healthcare workers who interacted with therapy dogs during their work shifts reported decreases in stress and burnout and significant increases in self-reported mood.
“While these findings indicate that interactions with therapy dogs offered immediate benefits for these essential healthcare workers, future research is needed to better understand longer-term benefits, as well as downstream effects for patient care and satisfaction,” she told Healthline.
Pets can provide physical health benefits, too
The simple act of petting or interacting with a dog, cat, or other companion animal can lower a person’s blood pressure and increase the endorphins or feel-good hormones in the brain, said Steinberg.
According to the American Heart Association, pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with decreased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and may have a causal role in reducing CVD risk. Having a pet may also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
“Pets can also help us be more active and make activity more enjoyable,” said Steinberg. “Studies show that people diagnosed with cardiovascular disease have increased activity levels and better outcomes when a pet accompanies them on daily walks.”
In addition to walks, Dressel enjoys playing catch with Jane and especially swimming with her.
“She loves baseballs and an orange rubber ball we have. On the weekends, we go to the pool…she loves to swim, and we try to get her exercise,” he said.
Why Dressel is joining fellow Olympians to promote better pet health
Along with other Olympians, including sprinter Gabby Thomas and gymnast Simone Biles, Dressel is part of Nulo’s Fuel Incredible campaign, which highlights the connection between eight USA athletes and their pets.
The collaboration aims to inspire pet parents everywhere to elevate their pets’ nutrition, ensuring they can fully participate in every aspect of their mutually active lives.
Leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Dressel said he had more sponsors than he did heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I didn’t want to do that again. I have my family now, and I want to be very particular about who I take on, and because I want to be there for the companies I take on, and also I want to be organic,” he said.
Teaming up with Nulo felt right to him. He said the initiative is about more than selling dog food.
“It’s not just a product. I’m associated with [them for] truly the love of pets,” said Dressel. “I want to take care of [Jane] the best I can. She’s been in my corner her whole life and has given me so much joy.”
