Pet owners already know how much their furry friends improve their quality of life. Dogs are loyal animals full of joy and happiness. If you’re ever feeling down whenever you come home, you might want to consider adopting a dog – you’ll feel the difference immediately. But its’ not all about the unconditional love, did you know that it’s been proven that owning a pet can increase your overall emotional level provide countless other benefits?
Yet, adopting a dog might seem difficult at first. After all, you have to take care of them and learn things you didn’t know how to do before, like the art of pet grooming. It’s definitely challenging, especially if you didn’t have a pet before but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Learning how to take care of them is a small price to pay for all the love they’ll give you back in return. Here are a mere 5 benefits of owning a dog that might surprise you.
- They improve your mood
If you’ve ever owned a pet, this might seem obvious but it’s an important benefit nonetheless. Dogs have the magical power of mood-boosting and it’s as if they know when you’re feeling down. We almost take it for granted how much fun and affectionate they can bring. But that is just the surface level. It’s been proven that dogs, in particular, can improve your mood and happiness. They act as great companions regardless of your age and can sense your behavior.
- They reduce stress
In addition to helping you improve your overall mood, dogs are also great stress-relief machines. A study found that when people took care of dogs for just three months, they showed a significant drop in blood pressure and reactivity to stress. Spending time with an animal increases your oxytocin hormone (often called the “love hormone”), increases your trust, and reduces your fear. The next time you have a bad day at the dog, know that you’ll be able to count on your dog to cheer you up.
- They keep you moving
Dogs need exercise, and for many of dog-owners, walking their dog becomes an important part of their daily fitness. Regular dog walks improve your muscle tone, bone health, flexibility, and more. And of course, it improves the dog’s health and mood as well – becoming a win-win situation. Depending on your dog and its breed, how long you should take them for a walk might vary, but most of the time, you’ll get used to it and it’ll soon become a daily habit. If you want to take it up a notch, consider going hiking or for a jog with your dog – your body, and your dog, will both thank you!
- Dogs keep your social
What’s a better conversation starter than a dog? When going for a walk with your dog, not just how much social interaction you’ll get. A healthy mind needs to always be active and engaged socially. From fellow dog-walkers to just random people complimenting your pet, social connections become much easier and definitely more fun as well. And going to the dog park pretty much guarantees you’ll meet someone there; your dog will make sure. But no matter what happens, know that you’re never alone. If you still feel lonely, you can even set up a local dog-walking group. Going for a walk is always better in a pack – so, why not make it a social outing? Remember, you’re not just passing the time and socializing, but you’re also improving your health as well!
- Dogs just might save your life
Dogs are incredibly loyal companions. If you treat them right, they’ll basically love you forever. What more can you ask of them when they’d be fine with risking their lives just to save yours? Dogs can be trained to alert diabetic people to changes in their blood level, warn epileptics, help blind people, and even alert you in case of an intruder. While teaching them these skills might take time and patience, they definitely speak to the overwhelming amount of benefits of being a dog parent. Dogs help us stay happy and healthy, but in addition to that – they are also life-long loyal and loving companions.