Many studies (as well as personal anecdotes) have shown that owning a dog can be incredibly good for your health.

 

Dog owners are likely to get more exercise than people without pets. Dogs require a lot of play, long walks, and regular exercise - and they prefer to do those things with their human parents. Your dog is a great exercise partner, and will provide plenty of encouragement to keep up an exercise routine.

 

Studies show that simply petting a dog can lower your blood pressure. Additionally, most dog owners have lower reported levels of triglycerides and blood cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease. Having a canine companion around can relieve stress, and keep you calm and healthy. Remember that when your pup wants a long belly rub he is doing you a favor too!

 

Dogs are social creatures, and love to explore new areas. This can help you to meet new people. It’s important to socialize your pooch, so bring them with you to pet stores, dog parks, or other dog friendly areas. Most people find dogs to be a good ice breaker. These situations & environments are great for your dogs socialization, as well as your own. Who knows, you could spark some very important connections with other dog owners!

 

Dog ownership has been reported to aid childhood development, and enhance family life. Pet ownership for children has been linked to higher self esteem. Additionally, most children with family pets score higher then children without pets on empathy scales. Psychological tests have proven that most families feel that having pets in the home helps during family emergencies, illness, or dealing with grief and loss of loved ones. Additionally, many families believe that having a pet in the house helps decrease tension.

 

Finally, dogs are great therapy, in fact, studies show that dog owners live longer than non-pet owners. They can help you to build emotional strength by providing you with their companionship. Dogs are great listeners, and can sense your emotions. They live to make you happy, and that includes providing you with emotional comfort, and cheering you up when you are down. Furthermore, dogs can help stave off loneliness. Research has shown that nursing home residents reported less loneliness when they had canine visitors - the canine visitors even proved to be more beneficial for nursing home residents than human visitors!