No doubt about it, the love of dogs is universal, bringing joy to millions of households in multiple ways. But did you know there are proven health benefits to owning a dog? Turns out, your dog is a natural at taking care of you, and you may not even realize it.
Let’s take a closer look…..
Cardiovascular Health – Far too many people live a more sedentary lifestyle than they should. And while the importance of exercise is a well known fact, opting for the couch vs the gym is not uncommon. However, this is where dogs can take the credit for getting people up and moving. For example, people are far more likely to take a walk when they know there is a pooch anxiously awaiting. Among other things, dog owners jog, hike, bike, play fetch, partake in agility, and attend dog parks. All of these constitute movement which in turn is healthy for the heart.
Depression – Dogs can help with depression simply by existing as a devoted, non-judgmental, and constant companion. Depression can also lessen a bit when a dog prods it’s owner to let him out, or take a walk. A change of scenery, as well as a distraction from thoughts, can all be advantageously good for mood-boosting.
Blood Pressure – How many times have you had a bad day and instinctively reached out to hug or pet your dog? It’s basically a form of self-medicating. The good thing is, studies have shown that the presence of a dog lowers blood pressure and heart rates. Just one more positive to chalk up to dog ownership!
Loneliness – Human to human interaction is an important aspect of ones well-being. But, when feeling a bit on the lonely side, a dog can fill part of the void, and lift spirits. Think of how many times your dog has made you smile or laugh. Would you have done that if you were alone?
Socialization – If you did an experiment that consisted of walking in a public area alone vs walking with a dog, I’m sure you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that many strangers would strike up a conversation in the scenario including the dog, but not the other way around. A dog can be a great way to meet new people, and provides an instantaneous ice-breaker.
Stress/Anxiety – Dogs posses a natural calming effect and can put people at ease. Using dogs in clinical situations is a strategy that has long found to be helpful in settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care, and rehabilitation centers. Although just petting your dog at home after a long, hard day has been found to ward off some stress and anxiety too.
Cancer – Dogs have smelling capabilities far superior to that of humans. Much the same as we rely on our sense of sight to view the world, dogs rely on their sense of smell, learning all they know by sniffing about. In a research setting, they have been able to sniff out breast, bladder, skin, prostate, lung, ovarian, and colorectal cancers with startling accuracy. It’s a shame that this ability has only been used in research thus far, and not for actual patient detection. But, there have been many cases reported from dog owners that their dog had, in one way or another, alerted them to the fact that something was wrong, only to later be diagnosed with cancer.
The benefits surrounding the dog to person relationship seem endless. So, the next time your furry companion gets into mischief, barks too much, or causes a high veterinarian bill, bear in mind the benefits he brings!
Carol,
I have always had a dog and I rarely get sick! Maybe it has something to do with that!
I bet the immune system is strengthened by having a furry friend around. I currently have two dogs and I love them both! They keep me and my wife entertained no matter what is going on throughout the day!
There have been studies done in regard to owning a pet boosting the immune system, so you never know, perhaps that is the case with you! Yes, they sure are funny, entertaining creatures, aren’t they?
I can definitely confirm that owning a dog has made me more active! Even though my dog isn’t one of those breeds that needs a lot of exercise, I’ve gotten a lot more walking time in since I adopted her.
I’ve noticed the socialization benefit too. In my last apartment building, there were lots of dogs. I got to know a lot of other dog owners, but unfortunately sometimes we forgot to introduce ourselves and only knew each other’s dogs’ names!
Hi Samantha, I can relate! There have been countless times that people have asked me what my dog’s name was, but not mine, and I know I’ve done the same. Funny how that happens. That’s great to hear that your dog has you out walking….just an added benefit to owning one of those cute furry guys.
Hi! this question may seem a little…left field, but here I go. Growing up I always had pet dogs and was always a very active little boy, getting into scrapes etc. Anyway, when I was a kid, i would always let my dogs lick my wounds as I seemed to remember hearing it was good for them. Now that I’m grown up, whenever this comes up I get told it’s dirty and I’m lucky I didn’t get infections. So, my questions is, is it OK to let your dog lick your cuts and grazes to help heal them?
Hi Matt,
There has actually been evidence showing that dog saliva has disinfectant properties which may help with healing, but there is also bacteria in the saliva which has the potential to cause infection. So, the answer isn’t quite as simple as a yes, or no, but technically I suppose you should not let your dog lick your cuts (I’m betting lots of people have done this though!)
I sure do love owning a dog. I don’t own one right now, but I have owned several in the past. This might be convincing enough of an article for me to go out and get a dog. I was not aware that dogs could smell cancer. That is crazy. We should be doing more research in early detection with dogs then!
Great article and good read. Thanks!
Hi David,
I agree, dogs have such great noses, I would be willing to trust a doggie doctor!
Let me first say what an informative post. I always thought to myself that having a dog would obviously be healthy for you. The reason I thought was that you could take it for a walk or a run perhaps. But I didn’t really know how much good that having a dog can be for you.
The detecting cancer fact was quite interesting to read. How exactly does this get to be communicated to their owner I wonder?
Hello, and thanks for your comment! Even though dogs can smell cancer, they don’t always do anything with the information, or understand that it is important. But, some dogs will display odd behavior by doing things such as sniffing their owner’s breath, or pawing at the spot where a tumor would be. If the owner is already experiencing pain, or other medical concerns, you can see why their dog may be the final push in getting them off to a doctor to be checked out.