Health Benefits From Owning A Dog

There is no other animal that has got the title of Human’s best friend like a dog. The unconditional love, loyalty, affection, and companionship they give us is unparalleled. Around the globe, dog owners know that their dog is not just a pet but is like a family member. Studies show owning a furry friend gives you loads of other health benefits that you are unaware of.  Here are some fantastic benefits of having a dog in your life. 

Dogs are Beneficial for Your Heart

Having a dog makes you add precious years to your life. A study done between 1950 and the year 2019 shows that the risk of dog owners’ death is lower. Studies have shown that dog owners have improved stress responses and lower blood pressures. The company of the dog keeps your stress levels down and thus keeps your heart healthy. Stress, which is the major contributor to heart attacks, is eradicated by just keeping a dog.

You Work Out More

If you have a dog, then you are bound to get excellent physical activity. Taking your dog even for 30 minutes can do wonders to your immune systems. Dogs motivate us to be active and agile always. Playing with it keeps us in work out mode. Even if you feel lazy or want to skip a workout, your dog would push you to do it. They would pull you off the couch and force you to go out and play with them.

Dogs Help You With Stress

Your dog can be the most effective de-stressing agent. Numerous studies have shown that therapy dogs and regular dogs help eliminate and lower anxiety and stress levels. In research done at Washington state university, it was Even the Small gesture of just petting your dog for a few minutes lowers your heart rate, blood pressure, and relaxes the muscle tension. The people who participated in this research had their cortisol level reduced drastically, which is the primary cause of stress. 

Dogs Improve Your Social Life

Believe it or not, taking your dog for a walk is true and makes you a head-turner. You might even get lucky and get a date. People like dogs and usually strike a conversation with you if you are with your dog. Owning a dog makes you more likable and approachable to the public and enhances your social interactions in multitudes. Dogs are even popular on social media, so if you have a dog and you flaunt in on social media, you are sure to get loads of likes on your posts. 

They Help You Detect Cancer Sooner

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and are effectively used for many purposes like sniffing drugs, bombs, people in debris, etc. Not many know the fact that it can also be used for cancer detection. Many incidents across the globe have reported that their dogs have helped them detect cancer spots by constantly licking, nudging, and snuffing on the affected areas. So one of the most extraordinary benefits of owning a dog is that it might help you detect cancer at a significantly earlier stage and save your life.

Dogs Help You to Overcome Crisis

In a study conducted at the college of veterinary medicine at Purdue University, it was found that veterans who had service dogs did better in coping up with PTSD both psychologically and physiologically. Those veterans who had a service dog with them had PTSD symptoms a lot less than those who didn’t have a service dog. So it is a proven fact that the canine companions help us in coping up with the crisis.

You Feel Safer

Dogs are like four-legged home security systems. Their barking often frightens and deters the burglars and thieves. They usually avoid the house which has a dog. Dogs are also super alert and alert even at the slightest motions detected in the place at night. They also keep you safe from the danger of other stray and wild animals and rodents. Having a dog always makes you feel safe and secure. 

Your General Illness Risk Subsides

It is found in numerous studies that people with dogs are less prone to general health problems. The canine owners have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than those who don’t have a dog or cat. It is because the dogs expose their masters to tons of germs, which in the due process builds up the immune system of the body. It means that the dog’s owner’s risk of general illness subsides. 

Dogs Enhance Our Happiness

In 2009 a study in Japan made a striking discovery that if you stare at your dog’s eyes, it increases your oxytocin (love hormone) level, making you happier. Dogs are nature’s mood boosters. They are also found to reduce depression in people who have aids, as studies show that the people who had aids were less likely to go into depression. 

Getting Old With a Dog is Graceful

Dogs are like a boon to older adults—elders who have Alzheimer’s disease with dogs experience fewer outbursts. Caregivers of more senior people often state that with dogs around, there is always less stress. If you are old or your parents are in their old age, it is still an excellent choice to have a dog as your companion. Dogs become a great help and support to the older people in the heydays of their life. 

Dogs are indeed a complete package of unconditional love and loyalty. Owning them is directly proportional to our health and well-being. So what more reason do you need more to adopt your little bundle of fur joy.