Dog owner’s you have one more reason to rejoice
According to a study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, having a Dog will reduce your risk of death by up to 21%, especially by Cardiovascular disease. This does not mean that having a dog indicates a person will live longer, but it means that having a pet can contribute to lowering the risk of heart disease.
Wow, a reason for Dog owners to rejoice. One more reason for you to love your little partner a little more. Previous studies have already proven that talking to and petting a dog lowers blood pressure. This could be because pets leave a calming effect on owners and because dog owners tend to get more exercise. A meta-analysis study done based on eleven observational studies found that dog owners walked more and were more physically active than non-owners. Also in two other studies assessing changes in physical activity after the acquisition of a dog or other pet found increased self-reported recreational walking.
Other Benefits of Having a Dog
Reduce Stress
Spending some time with a dog can help in lowering stress. Playing with dog results in an increase in levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and decrease the production of the stress hormone cortisol. It is always good for people performing stressful tasks to have a dog around. Stroking, hugging, or even just touching a dog can instantaneously calm and soothe anxious minds.
Beat Depression
Having a dog means, having a companion. A companion who is able to respond to your words and moods. A human might many times fail to understand your real mood, but a dog wouldn’t miss it. The way it tries to cheer you up when you are feeling low by trying to stick around you or lying just next to you in itself does the magic. Also having a dog means, more reason for a person to go out, stay connected to friends, being physically active, etc. All these activities help to keep your positive hormones like endorphin, serotonin level up. Some psychologists even say that feeling of self-worthiness increases by taking good care of a dog. It offers reassurance that you are capable to care for another creature and for yourself.
Dogs help children with hyperactivity disorder
A child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder many times is lonely. It’s really difficult for them to make friends. Also, they need a system to get over their restlessness. Dogs really help kids with hyperactivity disorder. They act as their friends and play partners. Owning a dog teaches them to maintain a routine and stay organized to take care of them.
Sniff out Disease
Dogs have a strong sense of smell. They can detect substances at concentrations of one part per trillion—that is like, a single drop of liquid in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools. Now scientists are using this quality of dogs to identify diseases. To some extent with training dogs are now able to sniff out various malaria, types of cancer, detect low sugar levels in people with diabetes and detect the onset of seizures in epileptics.
The dog has always been man’s best friend, though one’s reason to have a dog could be myriad. For one it could be a partner to beat loneliness, for another it would be the motivation to put on exercise gear. With so many health benefits listed, whoever has the capacity to take care of a dog should think about having one.
