3 Great benefits of Getting Yourself a Dog and a Friend for Life
For those of us who have had a dog in our lives before, we don’t need to be told about the benefits of having a pet and companion such as this. For many people, their dog is the only friend that they have and their dog will remain their friend for their whole lives. Sure, people get dogs for other purposes like working on a farm, but at the end of the day when the dog gets too old to work, it then becomes the family pet and is seen as an extension of that family. As a dog owner, I don’t need to be told about the very many benefits of having a dog, but sometimes, people need to be reminded about the many perks of having a dog in your life. Here are just some of the many reasons.
- Dogs are Good for Your Heart – Yes, dogs make our hearts feel great due to the love and affection this animal creates and it will always give us its heart unconditionally. However, having a dog actually does help your heart physically. Many studies have shown us that having a canine friend is linked to positive things like lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and other healthy heart benefits which all help maintain good cardiovascular health and less incidence of heart attacks. If you are unfortunate to have had a heart attack, because you are a dog owner, you have a quicker recovery rate than that of a non-dog owner. Remember, your dog may also get sick, so it doesn’t matter if you have a mutt or a pedigree pug, pet insurance is necessary.
- Dogs Keep You on Your Toes – Doctors suggest that we all get a minimum of thirty minutes of exercise every day and the simple fact is that if you have a dog, then you are more likely to hit this target and more. Your dog will actually try to get you to take it for a walk and will bark and scratch at the door of your home in an attempt to get you to take it outside for a walk. With this constant daily reminder from your pet, you are sure to get more exercise every day. Throw in some stick throwing and fetch exercises and before you know it, you are well past the thirty minimum exercise time suggested by health experts.
- Improved Social Life – As people get older and maybe lose their long-time partner, they become a little less sociable and so find it very difficult to make new friends. It can be a lonely time for a pensioner when they are by themselves, but thankfully getting a dog can change all that. When on a walk with your trusted four legged friend, you get to meet other people who have dogs and so have similar interests to you. This creates a great opportunity to make new long term friends and you can share stories about the good times with your dog.
If you are feeling lonely, a dog may be what you need to make life fun again. Many dogs are looking for loving homes and in turn, they will surely love you back.
