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6 Ways Dogs can Improve Health and Fitness

Dogs are the best companions that influence our lives in positive ways. They help lower stress and make us smile in some of the darkest moments.  Research also suggests that dog-owners are happier and healthier than non-dog owners. Here are six ways, having a dog can benefit your health. If you want to learn more about dog check this link.


Dogs keep you active resulting in improved fitness. You may skip a day of exercise if you are tired or not in the mood. However, with your dog by your side, you wouldn’t be able to make excuses because he needs exercise daily. Studies show that dog-parents are more likely to achieve the required activity levels. People who walk their dogs are likely to spend more time exercising than those with human companions.

Reduce Depression

Having a dog promotes not only physical but also psychological well-being. Dogs can identify when their owners are upset and need support. They seek out to their humans in times of distress and never leave their side. Since isolation may lead to anxiety and depression, dogs prevent their owners from getting depressed.  Our furry companions offer unconditional love and boost our self-esteem. You know that you are responsible for providing best quality food to your dog, for taking him out for walks and making sure he stays healthy. This sense of being the caregiver for someone motivates you to get through difficult times. You can also try Canidae dog food.

Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases

Having a dog can lower your cholesterol levels and blood pressure thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. A significant reason is that dogs reduce stress and keep their owners active. The presence of your dog has a calming effect on your mind and heart. Research also reveals that in events of stress dog-parents experience lower heart reactivity, i.e., their heart rate doesn’t drastically increase as a response to stress and also comes back to the normal condition quickly. They also recover faster from heart attacks than non-dog owners. According to another study, dog-owners tend to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  

Reduce Stress

Whether you had a bad day at work or failed a test, the moment you enter your home and listen to the purrs or experience the licks of your furry companion, you forget everything that happened. Dogs have this magical ability to improve our moods with their adorable antics, bright eyes, and wagging tails. Research suggests that petting a cat or dog also boosts the levels of oxytocin and suppresses the stress hormone, cortisol.

Dogs are also a source of distraction and enable you to become mindful. No matter how upset you are, with your pooch by your side, you forget all the troubles as your pup attracts all your attention towards himself.

Improve Our Social Lives

Dogs can play a significant role in improving our social lives. If you have difficulty interacting with other people, a dog can help you out. They attract other people towards them and help spark conversations. You may not socialize with new people every day. But as soon as a dog enters the picture, you have higher chances of bumping into people on your strolls with the pup.  You can also take your pooch to the local park; it would give you the opportunity to socialize with other dog-parents. These interactions can develop into long-term friendships. This applies to children as well. Since dogs are a topic of mutual interest, they can enable kids to build friendships.

Protection against Allergies

Dogs boost immunity and prevent common allergies. Kids who grow up with a dog in the house and are exposed to the pet before two years of age are less likely to develop allergies, asthma, and eczema as they get old. Researchers found out that this improved immunity is because dog dust affects the gut microbes in the body. The exposure to dog dander in infancy trains the child’s immune system to fight bacteria at an early stage. Therefore it reduces the risk of, flu, cold, and certain respiratory conditions.  


Jenny Perkins is an Animal Behavior Specialist and a passionate writer. She loves to write about the nutrition, health, and care of dogs. She aims at providing tips to dog owners that can help them become better pet parents. She writes for the blog Here Pup.