Your dog’s company can provide solace and reduce your anxiety. Numerous studies have demonstrated the calming effects of therapy dogs and dogs in general.
Blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and muscle stress are all reduced by simply touching a familar dog. Just 10 minutes of caressing a dog can have a big impact, according to Washington State University researchers. Cortisol, a key stress hormone, significantly dropped in study participants.
Why should people own dogs?
According to a 2003 study by J.S.J. Odendaal, humans who pet dogs experience oxytocin release, which is a hormone linked to bonding, affection, and happiness.
[56] The social support theory contends that companionship and social support, both of which are essential for wellbeing, can be found in animals. [57] The social impact of dogs on people is particularly important for those who are more likely to be socially isolated, such as elderly people or children without siblings[58]. [59] According to this perspective, the animal is an integral component of our society and a key factor in determining psychological health.
According to self psychology, an animal can be a “self-object” that provides a person’s sense of self with a sense of coherence, support, or nourishment. The importance of some animals to a person’s sense of self and overall wellbeing is explained by self-psychology. [60] Dog companionship frequently enables people to establish regular routines and gives them daily gratification. [2] According to studies, having a dog decreases stress, eases anxiety, and even increases lifespan[61, 62]. [63]
What are the top 5 benefits of getting a dog?
Man’s best companion brilliantly captures everything. Having a dog as a pet can bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and a lifetime friend. Here are the top five justifications for getting a dog.
A dog will clean up your kitchen floor
Dogs are similar to built-in vacuums. They virtually sprint to clean up behind you if you spill something on the floor or drop something. By not having to clean up messes on your hands and knees with a rag, you can save a lot of time.
A dog is the perfect exercise partner
Running, biking, and even walking are more enjoyable when you have a partner. Dogs need exercise just as humans do, and exercising with a friend is even more fun. Additionally, when walking your dog, you might perhaps meet a new buddy. When was the last time you resisted the urge to visit your neighbor’s cute puppy?
A dog is a great primer for parenthood
Getting a dog together before deciding to have kids may be a smart option for you and your partner. You can learn a lot about your parenting style by taking care of a dog. In order to care for a dog, you must make concessions and sacrifices. Who is going to walk the dog tonight? Who will stop at the supermarket on the way home to get dog food? These choices can seem insignificant, but cooperating to keep your dog happy and healthy is excellent practice for the real thing. Additionally, dogs can aid in teaching responsibility once you have children.
A dog can make you feel safer in your own home
Dogs have innate instincts for defense, especially when it comes to their families, making them effective security systems. Dogs are highly attentive to strange people and sounds, so a possible intruder may be discouraged from entering your home at the sound of a barking dog. You can tell something has attracted a dog’s attention when you see their ears lift up.
A dog will be incredibly loyal to you and your family
This is most likely the most crucial justification for dog ownership. Dogs right away become an important member of the family. They want to sit in your lap, cuddle with you in bed, and lick you all the time. A dog is a devoted friend you can rely on forever, and they never fail to make you smile.
There are a lot of advantages to keeping a dog, despite the fact that some of these justifications sound absurd. Find a dog who truly needs a home by looking in your neighborhood animal shelter.
They evolved to love us
There is proof that wolves arrived to us before we domesticated them. The friendliest ones congregated near the campsites of our ancestors, and so the contemporary dog’s evolution began.
Theyre super smart
The fact that dogs are so simple to train is no accident. Due to their extremely gregarious nature, dogs have grown to have larger brains, and it is these smarts that make them so trainable.
They make you healthier
Dog owners are 34% more likely than non-pet owners to get enough exercise. Dog owners have been discovered to have reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thus going for walks is good for you too.
They make you happier
Your stress levels are actively reduced by spending time with a pet dog, which promotes greater relaxation, improved moods, and decreased anxiety. According to one study, dogs are even more good at reducing stress than romantic partners.
They really do understand you
Dogs have lately been found to be able to distinguish between joyful and furious human facial expressions. Why does that matter? So, if your pet appears to know she has done something wrong, it is likely that she is aware of it.
Is it a smart idea to get a dog?
- Owners of dogs typically have higher immune systems, which helps them stay healthy and recover from infections more quickly. In actuality, dog owners go to the doctor less frequently and are less likely to be on medication than non-dog owners.
- If they own a dog, people recover from illnesses more quickly and even have greater survival chances following a heart attack.
- Children who have a pet buddy miss school less frequently owing to illness.
- When a dog is their buddy, children with chronic illnesses frequently tolerate their treatments better.
- Dogs are wonderful companions and sources of consolation for people who live alone since they provide us a sense of emotional wellbeing through their unconditional love.
- Having a dog can aid in a person’s recovery after a personal catastrophe, such as a loss.
- Having a dog can aid in the healing and improvement of mental health issues.
In addition to all these important advantages, dogs are also a lot of fun. They virtually always have a smile on their face, are there to give you a hug when you need one, and never fail to make you laugh! Are you considering getting a new puppy? Check out our content for helpful how-tos and advice.
dogs’ impact in your life?
Owning a dog is not simple. You must invest time, money, and love into raising a dog properly. There will inevitably be times when you feel frustrated, and they’ll happen frequently. Small setbacks and false starts frequently follow successes. Your puppy’s teeth may even cause you to lose your beloved pair of shoes.
But all of that work is worthwhile, as any dog owner can attest. Your life will alter when you bring a dog into your house. Your health and well-being can benefit from your dog’s unwavering love, unwavering energy, and unashamed smiles in a variety of ways.
Dog Tails has created a list of the top 5 ways dogs can improve your life to support our argument. Continue reading to discover more about how these remarkable animals improve our quality of life on a daily basis.
1) Dogs increase productivity in the office
We are all aware of how lively dogs can make a workplace. But did you know that studies have shown that having dogs at work can increase employee productivity?
An investigation carried out by academics at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, was covered by The Economist earlier this month. In the experiment, two teams of individuals worked together to design an advertisement. While the other group did not, one of them shared the room with a dog. Researchers discovered that the group with the dog “rated their teammates more highly on measures of trust, team cohesion, and intimacy than the group without the dog after analyzing the post-experiment surveys that the participants completed.”
What is the story’s lesson? Working with dogs enhances team dynamics and encourages effective collaboration among staff. Bosses, pay attention!
2) Dogs encourage exercise
Having difficulties finding time in your packed schedule to go to the gym? A fun and simple approach to fit regular exercise into your daily life is to take your dog on a walk. A enjoyable workout regimen that is simple to maintain can be started by including a few playdates in the backyard each week.
3) Dogs ease anxiety
The majority of us would seize the opportunity to lower the level of stress in our daily lives. Adopting a dog is one simple approach to alleviate stress. A recent research on the subject found that “55% of respondents felt more at ease when they were with their pets and 44% were even less anxious about financial problems,” according to a report this month from the ASPCA.
Dr. David Lewis, a psychologist who participated in the study and was featured in the ASPCA article, claimed that “interacting with a dog is a profound and efficient stress reduction. It enhances emotions of relaxation and contentment. Who among us does not desire that?
4) Dogs help you live longer.
All of the advantages of owning a dog—keeping you active, lowering your stress level, enhancing your mood—add up to a greater, more dramatic conclusion: canines can lengthen your life.
Although at first look this assertion might seem overstated, numerous scientific research have been discovered to back it up. According to studies, dogs can lower a person’s chance of developing heart disease and hasten the recovery time following surgery. Dogs have also been proved to lessen anxiety and help people avoid depression. You might even get fewer colds this winter if you own a dog. Give your dog a kiss the next time he puts his head on your lap and tell him you appreciate all he does to keep you healthy.
5) You can change things by adopting a puppy.
And last, one way you can actually improve the life of another person is by adopting a dog from a shelter. Between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are put to death every year in the US due to homelessness. The majority of these animals, if adopted, would have made lovely companions and enjoyed long, healthy lives.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, adopting an animal from a shelter or rescue organization saves two lives: the life of the dog you adopt and the life of another dog that can be rescued and cared for by the shelter in your dog’s place. An owner of a shelter or rescue dog will never forget the feeling of knowing that they made a difference in the lives of these canines.
Are you proud to be the parent of one of these amazing creatures? If so, we invite you to post a photo and description of your dog on our Facebook page. We can’t wait to see and hear about your furry best buddies!
