What’s in It for You? The 17 Practical Benefits of Sharing Your Life With a Dog
Over the years I’ve come across many articles where a dog owner thinks or at least fears that his dog is taking advantage of him.
To me it’s obvious that this is a profoundly misguided way to think. But after paying a high vet bill, maybe you would like to hear the other side of the argument.
Actually there is a lot you get out of the relationship with your pup. Here are 17 benefits.
Thanks to my experience with Augie and Lola during the last 10 years, I have seen these effects in my own life. I’ve also seen them in the relationships of my friends with their dogs.
Improving Your Physical Health
According to Mayo Clinic, most of these rewards come from the daily walks that get you moving. And even when you’re in no mood to take a long walk, because of your great love for your dog, you’ll usually do it anyway.
1. Getting More Exercise
Your dog needs to walk and play. This keeps you physically active, and this does a lot to slow down the aging process.
2. Lowering Your Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
When you pet your dog, you experience a lowering of your blood pressure and heart rate. This improves heart health.
3. Making Your Immune System Stronger
Being exposed to your dog’s microbiome improves your immune response. This prevents some allergies.
4. Less Risk of Heart Disease
When you own a dog you’ll have lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. This is another benefit you get from the extra walking.
5. Better sleep
With your dog nearby or even in your bed, you’re more likely to have better sleep quality most nights.
Improving Your Emotional Health
6. Lower Stress & Anxiety
The relationship with your dog boosts your oxytocin (“love hormone”) and lowers your cortisol (“stress hormone”). This makes it easier to lose weight and get better sleep.
7. Antidote for Loneliness
Canine companionship provides meaning and a satisfying relationship. Gives you something to wake up for each day.
8. Mood Elevation
For dog owners there are fewer periods of depressive moods and more frequent periods of joy.
9. Emotional support.
Your dog knows when you’re feeling down and finds ways to provide the support you need to feel whole again. Sometimes his concerned looks are enough to make you feel better, knowing you have someone who cares how you feel.
Better Social Well-being
10. Boosting Social Interaction
Maybe you’re not inclined to start interacting with random strangers. That changes when you’re on walks with your dog. This is especially true when you meet other dog owners. Makes you want to share info, experiences, and feelings with them. You become more social. I was surprised that an introvert like me would find it so easy to make friends all over the neighborhood.
11. Better Family Relationships
You’ll need to share responsibilities and care for your dog fairly. And you should share the good experiences generously. This brings families and couples together as they become a team to take care of your pet.
12. Acting Responsibly
Everyone involved in the care of your pet becomes more disciplined, especially children.
Psychological Benefits
13. Better Focus and Productivity
By periodically taking you away from your daily routine, your mind gets purged of useless details. This allows you to concentrate better and have a clear head when you get back to work.
14. Developing Patience & Empathy
Regular involvement with caring for your pet makes you a better person, especially with showing patience and compassion.
Long-term Rewards
15. Feeling Safer
Your dog alerts you to potential threats and dangers. This makes you feel more secure in your environment, especially when unusual threats are present.
16. Better Understanding of Behavior
This includes human behavior in addition to animal behavior. The close observation and attempt to understand your pet’s behavior over time gives you a keen sense of how and why animals and dogs behave the way they do. And this is useful in both your personal and professional relationships.
17. Steady, Unconditional Love
This is the benefit most appreciated by pet owners. In good times and bad, your canine best friend is your warm, constant source of companionship, acceptance, and love.
When you consider everything they give back to you, sharing your life with a dog sounds like a really sweet deal. But if you’re a dog owner, you already know that.
