10 Health Benefits of Owning a Dog

10 Health Benefits of Owning a Dog

Having a pet is one of the best feelings there is.  Researchers have found out that owning any kind of pet companion is highly enriching and provides a vast range of benefits.  Dog people, in particular, can gain most benefits as dogs are the most faithful creatures and they are even considered to be man’s best friend.

Studies have found that having a dog as a pet has a vast range of health benefits.  From fighting depression to immunity boosts and psychological benefits, the advantages of owning a pet are endless.

On an off note, owning a dog dramatically increases your chances of getting dates.  But, we are only going to focus on the health benefits here.

1. Resistance to Allergies

It has been found that children who grow up in a household with a dog are less prone to developing allergies in the course of their lives.  Some researchers even claim that if the mother lived with a dog while the baby was just a fetus, the particular child is still less likely to develop allergies in future.

2. More Exercise

Having a dog means the dog owner is obligated to take it out for walks and playing multiple times a day.  This not only keeps your dog fresh, but keeps you healthy too.  Most dog owners get their minimum 30 minutes workout and they develop a habit of getting up early in the morning.  This leads to better overall shape than those who don’t have any pets.

3. Lower Stress Levels

Studies have shown that people who interact with dogs have lower stress levels throughout the day.  A modern day schedule is hectic with nonstop work, traffic disputes, and so on.  Coming home to a dog at the end of the day provides a feeling of not being lonely.  Bringing the dog to work is also the trend that is slowly catching on, as taking the dog around and constant interaction keeps people energized, leading to job satisfaction and higher productivity.

4. Heart Benefits

It has been seen that dog owners generally have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels compared to non-owners.  This means the chances of dog owners suffering from heart diseases is lower.  Also, heart attack patients who own dogs are seen to survive for longer periods.

5. Lowers Blood Pressure

Having a pet has been found to be greatly fruitful in a way a person handles stressful situations.  It prevents the elevation of blood pressure and also helps those with high blood pressures to keep their pressure levels on check.

6. Makes You Happier

Researchers have found that playing with a dog can elevate the levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are the nerve transmitters responsible for providing us with pleasurable and calm feelings.

It has also been seen that those who own dogs are less likely to suffer from depression than those who don’t.  Also, even those who are clinically depressed are seen to improve out of a depressive episode by having a pet to take care of.  Constant interaction and love received from a dog can help you stay positive.  Also, merely looking at the dog releases oxytocin, the “feel good” chemical, in the brain.

7. Dogs for the Aged

Alzheimer’s patients are among the many to benefit a huge deal by owning a pet.  Studies have indicated that Alzheimer’s patients do not face as much anxious emotional outbursts when there is an animal at home.

With age, people tend to feel lonely and seek company even more so than their younger self.  Dogs have been found to be perfect companies for elderly folks.  Having to take them out for walks and taking care of their pets keep ageing people fit and filled with positive vibes.

8. Detect Cancer

It might sound unbelievable to hear that dogs can detect cancer, but it’s a fact.  There have been plenty of stories by dog owners who claim to having checked a mole or lump on their body, because their dogs were constantly sniffing or licking it, only to find it cancerous.  This has also been proven by scientific studies.  In fact, dogs are found to be so good at this that these days, dogs are even trained for the sole purpose of detecting cancer, in as little as three hours.

9. Help during Seizures

Almost like the seeing-eye dog, the duties of a seizure dog are to help their owners navigate through daily tasks and situations.  Seizure dogs are trained by number of organizations around the world.  Dogs are trained to recognize body language and behaviors that occur during events of seizure.  Some believe that dogs can even warn the patient beforehand, but it’s yet to be proven by science.

10. Support for People with Disabilities

Dogs are known to be incredible support for people with disabilities.  It’s not uncommon to see visually defected people walk around with dogs.  Not only do dogs never leave their owner, but they also help to protect their owners from dangerous situations.  Children with birth defects are also often provided the company of a dog by parents, in the light of providing companionship.  This has seen to be highly effective in the patient’s health progress.


The health benefits received from owning a dog aren’t limited to this.  In fact, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the list go on and on until the reader himself is bored.  From preventing allergies to detecting cancer, it seems like there’s nothing our faithful best friends cannot do.  The fact is, there are so many benefits of having a dog and we can all learn a thing or two about the unconditional love that they share.  How dogs help people is astonishing.

And, there are always other benefits, apart from those related to health.  Dog owners are more likely to find dates than non-owners. Also, it’s found that dog owners tend to be in long lasting relationships, provided that they get into one.  Also, there is also the protection of yourself and your property from night crawlers.

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