Why owning a dog is good for your health
EVER wondered why you always feel better after some quality hang-time with your fur baby? Well, science says owning a dog is good for your health. Here’s why.
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PUT down the goji berries and cancel your gym membership. Here are 10 reasons why a canine companion is just the ticket for good health and vitality.
1. Dogs make you healthier
No one loves the great outdoors more than dogs and, as a result, dog owners are more likely to get out and about. One study from The Journal of Physical Activity & Health went so far to say dog owners are more likely to keep and reach their fitness goals. Just how fit are dog owners? According to researchers at Michigan State University, dog owners are 34 per cent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week than non-dog owners. Puppy parents’ walk speed increases to 28 per cent, compared to only a four per cent increase when walking with a human buddy.
2. Dogs reduce stress
Interacting with a dog actively lowers your stress levels, leading to more relaxation, better moods and less anxiety. And if you prefer a canine companion to the human kind, you’re in luck. One study found dogs are more effective at lowering people’s stress levels than their significant others.
3. Dogs can save human lives — literally
Dogs, in particular Labradors, are often thought of as the hardest-working dogs. From assisting the blind and disabled, to alerting their owners before a diabetic seizure or immediate health threat, having a four-legged companion by their side really is a matter of life and death for some.
4. Dogs can sniff out practically everything
With the right training, dogs can turn their smell receptors into an incredible lifesaving device. Having a remarkable sense of smell — 25 times more smell receptors than humans, boosting smelling ability by 100,000 — has made dogs the ideal companion when locating survivors after a disaster, detecting drugs, bombs or sniffing out a crime scene. Italian researchers found that dogs can detect prostate cancer by smelling the urine of patients, with 98 per cent accuracy.
5. Dogs are an effective alarm system
Because of their super hearing, dogs remain one of the best deterrents with a single bark. Dogs may be a cost effective alarm system but there is a difference between a watch dog and a guard dog. If you’re going to invest in the latter, you will need to raise and properly train it from a young age with regular reinforcement or, better yet, seek the help of a professional company.
6. Dogs increase oxytocin production
Does hanging out with your dog make you feel better? You aren’t imagining it. It’s all thanks to the hormone oxytocin, often referred to as the ‘love hormone’. In 2015, scientists at the International Conference of Human-Animal Interactions presented findings confirming that friendly human-dog interaction releases oxytocin and overall, helps humans bond with their fur kid. To reap the benefits, pat your dog or cat for 15 minutes a day.
7. Dog owners go to the doctor less
Hate visiting the doctor’s clinic? Consider adopting a dog. A UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) study of 1000 elderly people residing in California concluded that dog owners visited the GP 21 per cent less than those without dogs. Similarly, a Japanese study found that pet owners (not just dog owners), visited the doctor 30 per cent less than those without pets (cat people rejoice).
8. Dogs are good for heart health
Seeing a cute dog makes our heart flutter and, according to a 1995 study, they can also keep our hearts healthy. The study followed 369 people with cardiovascular disease. A year later, those who owned a dog were four times more likely to be alive than those who didn’t have a dog. Cats didn’t improve their owners’ odds of survival. Dogs are better for your heart than cats and there’s science to prove it!
9. Dogs make great therapists
Being around animals automatically lifts a bad mood, but dogs in particular seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to knowing what sort of mood their owners are in. It’s no coincidence, then, that therapy dogs are a common sight at children’s hospitals, respite care and nursing homes. Providing comfort, company, and unconditional love, dogs are a real lifeline for those who suffer from depression and anxiety.
SEE ALSO: WHY TALKING TO YOUR DOG IS THE BEST THERAPY
10. Dogs make us better people
Being responsible for a dog to walk, feed and care for teaches us patience, commitment and selflessness. Humans look to other humans for an emotional connection, but dogs only have us to turn to, and what a responsibility it is. Dog owners are often more tolerant (even well-behaved dogs can try our patience at times), especially if time and care is spent training. In return, dog owners receive something they cannot get from another human: unconditional love and 100 per cent acceptance.
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