A man and a dog sitting on a bench

Health Benefits Of Owning A Dog

Having a dog might just be about more than just companionship. There are some real, proven health benefits to owning a dog. Take a look at the top 10.

  1. A Healthy Heart
    Studies have shown that dog owners have lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure levels. This can significantly lower your chances of having a heart attack. If you do have a heart attack though, dog owners are more likely to recover.
  2. More Active Lifestyle
    Dogs make us more active. Just getting out there are walking your dog around the block every day can get you more exercise than the average American gets. We often take our dogs for walks for them, but it might just help us more.
  3. Less Stress
    Dogs just make us happy, Numerous studies have shown that petting a dog can increase Serotonin levels which makes us feel happy. Being near dogs also lowers our blood pressure and eases anxiety.
  4. Slimmer Waists
    You might be surprised at just how beneficial that daily walk is. It represents 15 to 20 minutes of walking that you might not otherwise get. Even if it only helps you burn 100 calories at a time, that is 3000 calories a month which is nearly a pound.
  5. A Reason To Get Up
    Retirees who have dogs are more likely to get up and going. Dogs can help give us purpose in life when there might not be a lot of things going on. They are a faithful companion that you will enjoy taking care of.
  6. Better Social Lives
    It has been shown that dog owners are more social. You are more likely to talk to other dog owners when out on a walk and more likely to participate in dog meet ups. You think you are socializing your dog when you are socializing yourself.
  7. Higher Self Worth
    You feel better about yourself when you have a dog. After all, that dog of yours loves you more than anyone else in the world. There is nobody that they would rather be with than you.
  8. More Security
    Having a dog around just makes you feel more secure. A large dog can physically protect you, but it goes further than that. Even a small dog is always aware and ready to alert you to any danger.
  9. Illness Detection
    Believe it or not, your dog may be able to detect illness long before a doctor does. Cancer survivors have reported their dogs frequently sniffing or licking certain parts of their body. These areas later turned out to be where cancer was developing.
  10. Less Allergies
    Believe it or not, kids who are raised in homes with pets are nearly a third less likely to develop allergies.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, the benefits to dog ownership are many. So why not thank your dog by taking them for an extra long walk today or rewarding them with their favorite treat. They deserve it.

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