The Advantages of Owning a Dog

Love without conditions. companionship that is devoted. constant amusement. Most dog owners agree that having a dog makes life better. But is that information based just on intuition, or is something more at work? Science exists.

Spending time with canine friends is really beneficial to your health. According to new research, keeping a dog is both physically and emotionally beneficial. Dogs make us happier, healthier, and better able to deal with adversity—and they can even help you get a date. Continue reading for ten scientifically proven advantages of owning a dog.

• Dogs help us feel less isolated. Even when people are unavailable, dogs may be there for you. They provide unconditional affection, emotional support, and continuous cuddling, all of which help to prevent social isolation. A modest Australian study found that owning a dog lessens loneliness.

• Dogs assist us in dealing with adversity. Dogs assist us in recovering mentally from a crisis. Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine revealed that having a service dog helps military veterans with PTSD both physically and psychologically. Veterans who had a service dog had much fewer PTSD symptoms and better coping abilities.

• Dogs are beneficial to your heart. Having a dog can help you live a longer life. A meta-analysis of papers published between 1950 and 2019 showed that dog owners had a decreased risk of dying. According to research, dog owners had lower blood pressure and better stress reactions.

  Much like living with a dog makes a significant difference, those who had previously suffered coronary episodes had an even greater risk decrease for mortality. According to studies, the link between humans and dogs decreases stress, which is a primary cause of cardiovascular disease.

• Dogs can assist you in de-stressing. Your canine buddy can provide comfort and ease your concerns. Several studies have found that dogs, especially therapy dogs, can help people cope with stress and anxiety.

  Petting a familiar dog reduces blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing rate, and muscular stress. Washington State University researchers revealed that only 10 minutes of caressing a dog might have a substantial influence. Cortisol, a prominent stress hormone, was significantly reduced in study participants.

• Dogs enhance your attractiveness—even remotely. If you’re looking for a date, you should consider getting a dog. The presence of a dog may make humans look more appealing and liked.

• Dogs motivate you to move. Long walks on sidewalks, trails, and routes add up. According to a 2019 British study, dog owners are roughly four times more likely to achieve daily physical activity recommendations than non-dog owners. Every week, dog owners spend approximately 300 minutes walking their pets. That’s 200 minutes more walking than folks who don’t have a dog.

• Dogs are so lovely that we can’t help but adore them. There’s a reason pups are so appealing: a dog’s facial characteristics contain an “infant schema,” which triggers an inbuilt caretaker reaction in humans. So, the next time you can’t get enough of that puppy video, remember that those huge eyes and floppy ears are scientifically enticing.

• Dogs help us become more sociable. Walking with a canine friend can make us more accessible and provide a topic for conversation. Consider how many times you’ve spoken with others, whether they’re your neighbors or new buddies from the dog park.