Dogs offer more than just companionship. If
you’ve got a furry friend already, you likely
have quite a few reasons to thank your dog. If
you’re considering getting a pooch, check out
these surprising benefits of having a dog.

1. You’ll exercise more. Owning a dog can motivate you to exercise
every day. On those days when it might be
easy to skip a workout, looking at your dog
standing by the door waiting to go for a walk
can give you the push you need to get out
there. Taking your dog for a 30 minute walk every day can greatly improve your health.

2. You’ll feel less stressed. There have been lots of studies that have
shown how dogs decrease stress levels. Petting
your dog, playing with your dog, and simply
watching your dog can reduce your stress each
day. Research shows that dog ownership
reduces stress hormones and the effects usually outweigh the stress caused by caring for a dog.

3. Your social life may improve. Not only does walking your dog help you to
get exercise, it might also help you get a date.
People are more likely to stop and talk with you
when you’re walking a dog. Going to the dog
park or taking your dogs to run errands can
also lead to strangers striking up conversations with you about your dog.

4. You may detect cancer sooner. A dog’s amazing sense of smell can be used for
a variety of purposes, including cancer
detection. Many dog owners have reported
their dog sniffing, licking, or nudging spots that
later turned out to be cancerous. One of the
unexpected benefits of having a dog is that it may even save your life by helping you to
detect cancer.

5. Your kids will be less likely to
have allergies. Children who are raised around a dog are less
likely to have allergies. In fact, living in a home
with a dog can help kids grow up to have an
increased immunity to pet allergies later in life.

6. Your heart will be healthier. Studies have shown that petting a dog lowers
a person’s heart rate. Therefore, dog owners
are more likely to have a healthy heart. In fact,
some research has shown that dog owners are
much more likely to survive a heart attack
compared to non-dog owners. Male pet owners in particular tend to experience a reduced rate
of heart disease.

7. You’re less likely to feel
depressed. The benefits of dog ownership extend to your
mental health as well. Dog owners are less
likely to be depressed. Dog owners who have
been diagnosed with clinical depression aren’t
likely to be as depressed as other people. Caring for a dog helps relieve symptoms of depression
and encourages people to be more positive.

8. You can grow old gracefully. Dog ownership benefits elderly people in many
ways. Alzheimer’s patients have fewer
outbursts when there is a dog in the home.
Care givers of elderly patients report less stress.
Dogs offer wonderful companionship for the
elderly as well.

9. Your risk for general illness
decreases. Dog owners experience fewer health problems.
Dog owners tend to have lower triglyceride
and cholesterol levels compared to non-dog
owners. Dogs expose their owners to a lot of
germs, which can help build up a human’s
immunity to disease. As a result, dog owners get sick less often and less severely than non-
dog owners.

10. You’ll feel safer. Dogs can be an effective home security system.
Studies show that barking dogs deter burglars.
Just knowing that you’ve got a dog who can
use its keen sense of hearing to detect anyone
prowling around can help increase your sense
of security, which is good for both your mental and physical health.

cc: lalasticlala, seun.

Very true.

logadims:
Dogs offer more than just companionship. If
you’ve got a furry friend already, you likely
have quite a few reasons to thank your dog. If
you’re considering getting a pooch, check out
these surprising benefits of having a dog.

1. You’ll exercise more. Owning a dog can motivate you to exercise
every day. On those days when it might be
easy to skip a workout, looking at your dog
standing by the door waiting to go for a walk
can give you the push you need to get out
there. Taking your dog for a 30 minute walk every day can greatly improve your health.

2. You’ll feel less stressed. There have been lots of studies that have
shown how dogs decrease stress levels. Petting
your dog, playing with your dog, and simply
watching your dog can reduce your stress each
day. Research shows that dog ownership
reduces stress hormones and the effects usually outweigh the stress caused by caring for a dog.

3. Your social life may improve. Not only does walking your dog help you to
get exercise, it might also help you get a date.
People are more likely to stop and talk with you
when you’re walking a dog. Going to the dog
park or taking your dogs to run errands can
also lead to strangers striking up conversations with you about your dog.

4. You may detect cancer sooner. A dog’s amazing sense of smell can be used for
a variety of purposes, including cancer
detection. Many dog owners have reported
their dog sniffing, licking, or nudging spots that
later turned out to be cancerous. One of the
unexpected benefits of having a dog is that it may even save your life by helping you to
detect cancer.

5. Your kids will be less likely to
have allergies. Children who are raised around a dog are less
likely to have allergies. In fact, living in a home
with a dog can help kids grow up to have an
increased immunity to pet allergies later in life.

6. Your heart will be healthier. Studies have shown that petting a dog lowers
a person’s heart rate. Therefore, dog owners
are more likely to have a healthy heart. In fact,
some research has shown that dog owners are
much more likely to survive a heart attack
compared to non-dog owners. Male pet owners in particular tend to experience a reduced rate
of heart disease.

7. You’re less likely to feel
depressed. The benefits of dog ownership extend to your
mental health as well. Dog owners are less
likely to be depressed. Dog owners who have
been diagnosed with clinical depression aren’t
likely to be as depressed as other people. Caring for a dog helps relieve symptoms of depression
and encourages people to be more positive.

8. You can grow old gracefully. Dog ownership benefits elderly people in many
ways. Alzheimer’s patients have fewer
outbursts when there is a dog in the home.
Care givers of elderly patients report less stress.
Dogs offer wonderful companionship for the
elderly as well.

9. Your risk for general illness
decreases. Dog owners experience fewer health problems.
Dog owners tend to have lower triglyceride
and cholesterol levels compared to non-dog
owners. Dogs expose their owners to a lot of
germs, which can help build up a human’s
immunity to disease. As a result, dog owners get sick less often and less severely than non-
dog owners.

10. You’ll feel safer. Dogs can be an effective home security system.
Studies show that barking dogs deter burglars.
Just knowing that you’ve got a dog who can
use its keen sense of hearing to detect anyone
prowling around can help increase your sense
of security, which is good for both your mental and physical health.

What a powerful message!! Personally I love dogs so much.

yes.

This ought to be in front page