5 Health Benefits of Owning a Dog

You may have read articles from earlier weeks highlighting the benefits of finned and feline friends.  This week we will be talking about the many benefits of man’s best friend, the ever lovable dog and how they help you stay healthy.

1. Unlike other pets, dogs require lots of activity to keep them happy and healthy.  This means that puppy parents reap the benefits of their tail-wager’s high energy levels.  A study points to evidence that dog owners are more likely to reach fitness goals due to the outside needs of their furry friends.  It found that people who walk with their dogs also tend to walk faster, as opposed to walking and talking with a friend which seems to cause people to slow their pace so that conversation can take place.  This demonstrates that not only is Fido giving you a good reason for daily exercise, but also helping you get better exercise than your fellow humans. Which also adds to…

2. Structure and routine to your day resulting in better lifestyle, sleeping habits, and overall health. Unlike other animals that can go in a designated place in your home that can be clean up later, it is customary to take your dog outside to relieve itself. This means that as a puppy parent, you must not only fit them into your busy schedule but also sometimes change your schedule to fit theirs. This gives the dog owner a strong and steady routine that they are less likely to break from because they know it would be at the expense of their fur baby. It is easy to stay out too late when you are the only one that will pay for it in the morning, but when you have a dog at home it helps bring out the more conscientious and responsible self in you. Because of this…

3. Children raised with a dog in the household tend to be stronger and more assertive. It is thought to be due to the fact that children who grow up with dogs are endowed with responsibilities that they can see the immediate benefits of. If a child or young adult trains a dog to sit, or stay, or roll over they can immediately see the result and are themselves rewarded with a sense of accomplishment. This early instilling of hard work and reward is thought to ingrain in the formative minds of young people a sense of confidence and leadership that other pets would not give them.

4. There is no denying the joy of waking up every morning to someone who is always happy to see you and ready to meet the day head on.  It really sets the right kind of mood and mindset you need to tackle the day. This may be the reason behind the overall social ability of most dog people.  Resulting in, what some theorize, the low percentage of dog owners with depression or other mood disorders.  Whether it’s the added protection that makes people more bold and willing or the personality traits of people who prefer dogs, the evidence shows that people who have dogs are more likely to strike up conversation with strangers and strangers are more likely to want to talk to them.  On the whole dog people reap amazing social benefits from their canine counterparts, which is a contributing factor in good mental health as well.  Additionally, knowing that you live up to the many responsibilities of dog ownership is known to boost people’s self-esteem which also reduces the risk of becoming depressed.

5. Another aspect of canine companions being a benefit is the ability of your pint-size pup to detect a potential problem in your biology.  Dogs are so in tuned to their people that they can pick up on changes in mood as well as the structure of your DNA.  Because of this their humans are more likely to get an early diagnosis for cancer, notice drops in blood sugar, and have warnings for seizures. The dog’s ability to do this has been so prevalent and documented that many programs exist now to train dog to do just that.

What are the benefits your canine companions have given you?  Tell us in the comments below.