Did you know that having and loving a dog is actually HEALTHY?! That’s right – dog owners tend to have less stress, healthier hearts, and lower rates of depression. We tend to focus on your dog’s health, so we thought we would write a little something for the human health. Loving your dog is good for you and good for your dog! Here are 3 ways why your dog equals better health for you.
1. Having a dog makes your heart healthy
Here’s a reason to wag your tail! Multiple studies show that dog owners have healthier hearts than people without dogs. Lower blood pressure in dog owners may be the result of the calming effect that dogs have on people. Unless your dog is totally spazzy and high energy, like my Jack Russell. I wish I had his energy! One way to expel that energy is to get regular exercise from walking you dogs, which puts them at less of a risk for heart disease. If you’re not as concerned about your health a much as you are your dog, you can always hire a professional dog walker like wagwalking to help your pet get the exercise he needs. But, this article is for you, human, so go walk your own dog.
2. Dogs can help treat depression and stress
The facts show that dogs increase happiness! The unconditional love that dogs so eagerly give can reduce stress, ease loneliness, and treat anxiety and depression. Caring for a dog can help to give a sense of purpose and responsibility which can manage feelings of sadness. Dog owners also get more sunlight and exercise than people without dogs, which can contribute to elevated moods and reduced stress.
Petting your dog releases feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin which can help reduce feelings of stress. Studies have shown that dog owners react more calmly and with lower blood pressure in high-stress situations. Furthermore, simply gazing into your fur-baby’s eyes can induce the release of the hormone oxytocin, which is associated with mother-infant bonding. Therapy dogs are popular in nursing homes and college campuses for the stress-relieving qualities that they offer.
3. Dogs provide social support
Dogs not only help with feelings of loneliness, but they also provide a great ice-breaker to chat with people while walking through the park or around the neighborhood. The feelings of connection and bonding that come with having a dog can be shared with other people that also have dogs or that share similar interests. Social connections are associated with better physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Some studies have shown that having a dog can also help you get a date! Just use an extra long leash so you can “accidently” get tangled up with that special someone. If you’re really a dog person, you don’t even need to be walking your own dog. You can casually walk by someone you’d like to meet and ask to pet their dog.
Just use an extra long leash so you can “accidently” get tangled up with that special someone.
With everything our beloved pets do for us, the least we can do is provide a clean environment for them. That means giving them decent food and cleaning up after them. Scoop Masters can help with the latter, giving you more time to spend with your pet, not on your pet. Visit the locations page for a free quote and let us take care of the dirty work for you.
Scoop Masters® offers professional pooper scooper services in California, Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Since 1988, we’ve saved dog owners across the country from the overly unpleasant task of picking up after their pets. Each poopy project we complete gives them the freedom, convenience, and sanitation they deserve! Contact us for a free quote, or simply stock up on enough dog poop bags to keep your pet’s number twos at bay. To stay in the loop, follow up on Facebook and Twitter/X. If your dog can poop it, we can scoop it!™
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