There are many reasons why you might want to adopt a dog. Maybe you can’t resist a cute puppy face, or maybe you just want some company at home. But you might be surprised to learn that having a dog is about more than just having a furry friend to greet you at the door.
The American Pet Products Association says that 70% of homes in the U.S. have at least one pet and that 69 million of those homes have dogs. Yes, it’s fun to have them around. But having a dog can also be good for your mental and physical health: Statistics show that having a dog can make you live longer. Experts found that having a dog cut the risk of dying from heart disease by 24% for the more than 3.8 million people who took part in the study. Those who had heart problems in the past got even more out of the program. That’s not all, either.
What good things does it do for your health to have a dog?
People who have a dog might go on and on about how great it is, but the relationship between humans and animals has benefits that can be shown by science. Having a dog is good for more than just having a friend. Some health problems are less likely to happen if you have a dog. People who own pets can enjoy:
1. Dogs keep you moving.
To stay healthy and active, a man’s best friend often needs to run and play. This means that dog owners need to do at least some kind of physical activity with their dogs. Even if you don’t think playing with your dog is the same as real exercise, this free time is still good for your health. A study done in Western Canada found that men and women who regularly walked their dogs did about 300 minutes of walking per week. While people who didn’t have dogs only did half as much exercise.
Using a stick or a ball to play fetch with your dog can even raise your heart rate and help you burn a few calories. Many dog owners say that having a dog has helped them spend more time outside and even lose weight. Even if you aren’t trying to change your body, doing cardio regularly can give you more energy and improve your health and wellness as a whole. If you can’t own a dog, you can still get these health benefits (and make money) by walking dogs or helping out at a shelter or boarding kennel.
2. Dogs can lower the chance of having a heart attack or getting heart disease.
In 2013, the American Heart Association finished a study that looked at the link between having a furry friend and having heart disease. Only 6% of the 182,000 people who had a heart attack and lived to tell about it owned a dog. The study also looked at whether or not living alone with a dog was different from living alone without a dog. It turns out that people who own dogs have a 33% better chance of surviving a heart attack at home after being in the hospital.
3. Triglyceride levels can be lowered with the help of a dog.
Medical experts have found that people who own dogs tend to have lower levels of triglycerides, a type of blood fat, than people who don’t own dogs. Usually, a person’s diet, body mass index (BMI), or whether or not they smoke can make a difference. However, in the group of people they studied, none of these things were what caused the change. At the moment, though, it’s not clear why having a dog can affect triglyceride levels.
4. Having a dog can help lower your cholesterol.
Researchers can’t find any other reason why people’s health is getting better, so it’s possible that just playing outside or taking a walk with your dog is enough to make a big difference in your cholesterol. Like with triglycerides, it’s not clear why having a dog has such a big effect on heart health, but study after study shows the same thing.
5. Dogs can help naturally bring down blood pressure
Dogs do more for their owners’ health than just getting them outside and moving more. Doctors have noticed that people who have dogs tend to have lower blood pressure levels on their own. Many people think it has to do with how dogs can calm you down. After all, there’s nothing better than cuddling up with your furry best friend.
6. Dogs can help you feel less stressed.
Many health professionals might recommend yoga or medication as ways to deal with stress, but owning a dog can be just as helpful.
Having a pet can be one of the best ways to relax, which makes your dog an important part of your mental health. Vikram Taragu, MD, says that spending a few minutes with a pet will reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and raise serotonin and dopamine levels, which are two neurochemicals that play a big role in relaxation and well-being.
Just being around your dog makes your stress hormones go down. This might feel good at the moment, but it’s also important for living a longer, healthier life. Researchers have found over and over again that there is a direct link between stress, illness, and the number of people who survive around the world. If your mental health is keeping you from having friends or going out in public, you might want to get your dog certified as a therapy dog.
7. Dogs can help lonely people.
When it comes to living alone, many adults find that being lonely is a real problem, and that’s not even taking into account the social distance caused by COVID-19. Having a dog can help you meet more people since you can take your furry friend to the dogs park or for a walk around the block to meet new people.
A British study found that four out of five dog owners talk to other people when they’re outside with their pets. Another group found that older adults who had pets were 36% less likely to say they felt lonely than their peers who didn’t have any animals at home.
Even if your dog doesn’t get you out of the house very often, a short cuddle session can still give you a boost of oxytocin. A licensed marriage and family therapist, Christie Kederian, says that having a dog can help with feelings of isolation and loneliness just by being there and giving unconditional love. “People often find happiness in their pets because they give them the unconditional love and simplicity that they don’t get from their families and friends,” she says.
8. Service dogs can help people live more independently and save lives.
There is a difference between service dogs and dogs that help people with their emotions. A service dogs is trained to help people with disabilities, while an emotional support dog is there to be a friend. Assistance Dogs International says that 48% of service dogs were trained for people with mobility problems, 19% for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 23% for people with autism. The other 9% of service dogs were trained to help people with diabetes, seizures, psychiatric support, and medical alert services.
Recently, service dogs have also been trained to help Alzheimer’s patients not only by being a friend but also by tracking their owner in case they get lost and by tethering, which helps keep their owner close in public places and when there are a lot of people around.
9. Documents can help your microbiome.
People have also said that having a dog can help improve your microbiome and strengthen your immune system because your immune system is naturally stronger when you live with a dog. Your internal flora changes when you come into contact with the different bacteria that dogs naturally have. Even though it seems counterintuitive at first, having a dog may also help children with allergies and asthma. Many dog breeds are good for people with allergies.
Keeping the family and their pets healthy
Getting a dog is a long-term commitment. If you’ve been on the fence, think about all the ways a four-legged friend can make your life better. But remember that having a dog isn’t just about buying dog food online now and then. Taking care of a pet takes time and a real commitment to the animal. It’s very important to keep your dog safe and healthy.
