Mindfulness and Presence: Spending quiet moments petting your cat or watching your fish can help you stay present and reduce stress levels.
Pets have always been more than just companions; they play a pivotal role in enhancing our mental well-being. From the unconditional love of a dog to the calming presence of a cat, pets have a unique way of alleviating stress, anxiety, and loneliness. But how do we truly harness the therapeutic potential of our furry, feathered, or scaled friends? How can they aid in promoting mindfulness, reducing depression, or even enhancing social interactions? In this interview series, we are talking to veterinarians, psychologists, therapists, pet trainers, and other experts who can shed light on how to maximize the mental health benefits of having a pet. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Rob Candelino.
Robert Candelino, based in United States, is currently a CEO at PetSafe Brands. He brings experience from previous roles at PetSafe Brands, Radio Systems Corporation and CanCham Thailand, with a robust skill set that includes Customer Insight, Brand Management, FMCG, Integrated Marketing, Brand Equity and more. Robert Candelino has 2 emails on RocketReach.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?
Iwas born and raised in Canada as the youngest of three children born to Italian immigrants. Our family didn’t have much, but we had each other to count on and we were taught very early the importance of hard work.
I have always had a job. I started working at 9 years old at my friend’s family-owned pizzeria. I still remember making $20/week and free pizza with every shift which, as you can imagine, was a dream come true for a young kid!
I worked 40 hours a week through high school which meant I missed out on a lot of social and extra curricular activities, but it never bothered me because work for me work has always been fun and I was learning something new every day.
I was the first of my family to go to college. I never took out a loan and I paid for school working full time while taking classes.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
I have had an incredibly rewarding career thus far so it’s virtually impossible for me to pick the single most interesting story. I have lived and worked in all corners of the world with some of the brightest and most talented leaders. I have worked on some of the world’s greatest brands and I have been able to impact the lives and careers of thousands of people (and now pets!). I could never have dreamed of all this when I started so I suppose the most interesting story is the entirety of the story itself — my good fortune, my coaches and mentors have helped me along the way and the wonderful people who have taught me so much.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I remember reading an autobiography a long time ago from a then-retired CEO of a major US company. In it, he talked about how for his entire professional life, people were always wanting something from him — time, money, decisions, advice etc. His entire being was wrapped in his career and his title, and he acknowledged that his mistake was thinking all the attention was for him, rather than the job he was in or the company he represented.
On his first day of retirement, no one called, no one emailed, and no one needed anything from him. It was at that moment, after he had retired, that he realized he had allowed too much of his self-esteem to come from his title rather than his own personal relationships with friends, family and his community. He always thought it was about him and never that he was simply the guy in the CEO chair. When that chair went away, so did so much of how he defined himself.
That was very powerful for me to read, and it has since shaped my own career quite meaningfully. I love my job, and I love that I get to lead exciting and cool businesses. However, I am also mindful that real success is making a positive impact at your job and to your family and to your community and to your friends. Being holistically successful, to me at least, makes me a much better, more objective and much more grounded leader.
While human interaction is essential for emotional well-being, in what ways do interactions with pets offer unique benefits that human relationships might not provide?
In a world where people are increasingly more alone and seemingly feeling less loved, we are blessed to have pets because they offer loyalty, companionship, unconditional love and acceptance, and they reduce anxiety and stress. Pets provide routine, encourage physical activity, and reduce loneliness. They also improve mental health, facilitate social interactions, offer emotional safety, and enhance empathy and compassion. While human relationships are essential, pets provide complementary support that enhances overall well-being. Simply put, pets unleash joy for the whole family.
I know and experience this every morning when our dog Darwin comes running to me for his morning hug and cuddles. Its clearly joyful for him but it is also one of the best possible ways to cheer me up and get me ready to have a great day at work. We at PetSafe Brands recognize this which is why its our Purpose as a company to ensure pets and are healthy, happy, and safe.
Can you explain how this works? How do pets, particularly common ones like dogs and cats, biologically and psychologically help to alleviate human stress levels and anxieties?
Biologically, interacting with pets can lower blood pressure, reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and increase the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with bonding and relaxation. Psychologically, pets provide companionship, reduce feelings of loneliness, offer unconditional love, and encourage physical activity and routine, all of which can contribute to improved mental well-being. Engaging with pets can also distract from stressors and provide a sense of purpose. We are a collective of brands that loves and takes great pride in providing products that ensure the health, happiness and safety of pets.
In the backdrop of global events like pandemics or natural disasters, how have you seen pets playing a role in alleviating anxiety and providing comfort? Can you share some instances where pets have been integrated into therapeutic practices? How do they complement traditional therapeutic techniques?
During global events like pandemics and natural disasters, pets have played a significant role in alleviating anxiety and providing comfort. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people reported that their pets helped reduce feelings of isolation and stress and, in fact, shelter pet adoptions soared during the pandemic. Therapy animals have been integrated into practices such as hospital visits, where they offer emotional support to patients, and disaster response, where they help soothe victims of trauma. Pets complement traditional therapeutic techniques by providing non-judgmental companionship, encouraging physical activity, and fostering a sense of normalcy and routine, enhancing overall emotional resilience.
Not all pets are dogs or cats. From birds to fish to reptiles, how can individuals choose the right pet that aligns with their mental health needs?
To choose the right pet that aligns with mental health needs, individuals should consider their lifestyle, available time, and personal preferences. Birds and fish can be calming and low maintenance, while reptiles offer unique companionship. Researching and understanding the care requirements of each type can help in making an informed decision.
How does the act of taking care of a pet — feeding, grooming, exercising — contribute to an individual’s sense of purpose and mental well-being?
Taking care of a pet provides routine, responsibility, and companionship, which can enhance an individual’s sense of purpose and mental well-being. PetSafe has an extensive range of innovative pet products that make the owner and pets life more efficient, healthier, and benefits overall happiness. Feeding, grooming, and exercising a pet creates a structured daily schedule, fosters a sense of achievement, and offers emotional support through the pet’s companionship, reducing feelings of loneliness and stress. Even if you don’t have time in your busy schedule to be consistent, there are products that help auto-feed your pet that can be helpful.
The past 5 years have been filled with upheaval and political uncertainty. Many people have become anxious from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. From your experience or research, what are your “Five Ways To Maximize the Mental Health Benefits of Having a Pet?”
- Regular Exercise: Taking your dog for daily walks can improve your physical health and provide a routine, which helps reduce anxiety and stress. Using the right products to help train a pet to walk without pulling, or having a wireless/GPS fence that gives you confidence your pet will remain contained helps facilitate more physical exercise with your dog and brings joy to your family too when you can enjoy activities together.
- Social Interaction: Engaging with other pet owners at local dog parks or pet-related events can help combat loneliness and build a supportive community. Its one of the reasons PetSafe sponsors more than 70 parks across 40 states in the USA.
- Mindfulness and Presence: Spending quiet moments petting your cat or watching your fish can help you stay present and reduce stress levels.
- Unconditional Companionship: Pets provide consistent love and support, which can be particularly comforting during times of loss or loneliness.
- Responsibility and Routine: Caring for a pet adds structure to your day, giving you a sense of purpose and helping you stay motivated and engaged. For me, having our dog Darwin has also taught our kids more about love, fun, affection than they otherwise might have known. It has also taught them the importance of taking responsibility for the things we love.
The loss of a pet can be deeply traumatic. How can individuals navigate this grief, and how does it compare to other forms of loss in terms of mental health impact?
In terms of mental health impact, pet loss can be as profound as other forms of loss, often leading to intense feelings of sadness, loneliness, and even depression. The bond with a pet is unique and its loss can be a significant emotional burden. To navigate this grief, individuals can allow themselves to grieve, seek support, and memorialize the pet. For example, When one of our PetSafe teammates loses a pet, we grant that teammate some time off to grieve and we send them a custom photo of that pet so they can be properly remembered.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of peace to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?
I believe that society needs to relearn how to listen to one another. Misunderstanding, bias, echo chambers of influence etc have all led us to stop listening to (or caring) what others have to say. As a result, we have become most insular, more hostile and more polarized than at any point in my life. That scares me.
In my personal experience, I tend to have strong points of views but I am also trying very hard to be a better listener to my team, my family and my friends. I actively try to seek out those with whom I disagree so I can learn more and either sharpen my own thinking or change it outright. At PetSafe Brands, I am always encouraging my team to understand “The question behind the question” which is basically a prompt for each of us to seek to really understand an issue or a person’s POV. If we all tried that, I am convinced that society would learn we really aren’t that different and we all effectively want the same basic things in life — any differences beyond that can be solved much more easily from there.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. 😊
I once had a drink with Howard Schultz. That was incredibly powerful for me because I think he is unquestionably one of the greatest brand and business minds of our lifetime. He built a fantastically successful company, created countless jobs, helped shape modern corporate purpose and his products have brought small moments of joy to literally billions of people. I think there are few people alive who have been so consequential in so many aspects of our life….all from making coffee!
I would love to spend time with Jurgen Klopp, the recently retired Manager of my beloved Liverpool Football Club. Wherever he has coached, he has built tremendous relationships with his players, his peers and the fans while also being ferociously demanding, battling all the egos of superstar athletes and achieving great results that no one thought possible. I find that so magical and inspiring so of course I would love to learn how he did so.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
- @petsafe
- www.petsafe.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robcandelino/
- Instagram: @RobCandy
- X: @RobCandy
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com .
